Spy Games
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: It's a slippery slope, spying. Contagious too. And what starts as a plan to catch Ella's boyfriend cheating snowballs into much more. Especially when the seed gets planted in Max's head that Fang could be fooling around too. Post-Nevermore.
1. Chapter 1

Spy Games

Chapter 1

"-understand how he got through life with such horrible handwriting."

I just stared down at the clipboard my mother had handed me. "Well, he did live in a cage for the first few years of his life. You could cut him some slack."

"Well maybe, Max, Fang shouldn't volunteer himself for tasks that he can't do."

I just stared at her. "Are you really upset over this?"

She let out a long sigh before turning away from me, facing the counter where she had some lab equipment out. I had gone to the labs for my daily duties. Everyone over the age of ten had a set number of hours they had to work on the island, be it building huts, working in the labs, or some other duty, I didn't care. My boyfriend typically spent his hours working on huts, but he'd hurt his back the past week. I told him that gave him an out for his weekly duties until he was better, but he claimed he had to do something so people didn't think I was favoring him. So he went to work in the lab. And apparently he screwed it up. Surprise, surprise.

"No, Max," my mother sighed, shaking her head. "I'm just been in a really bad mood recently."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

"Max-"

"What's going on?" I grabbed a pen before going to sit on one of the stools.

I would have to copy the work Fang had written down on a new lab sheet, but that wouldn't be too hard. The hardest part, honestly, would be deciphering his writing. I mean, my word. If Fang had had to handwrite his blog, he'd have never gathered an army. Those poor fangirls, not being able to read his writing. What would they have done?

"It's just Ella," Mom finally said, glancing at me. "I'm just worried about her is all."

"What about her?"

"She's been really…distant recently. Nudge mentioned to me that it's probably about Iggy."

And here we go. I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips. I'm sorry, but me and my boyfriend are sharing a very confined space with the guy that I briefly was with in his absence. That's drama. And we handle it relatively well, I think. Ella and Iggy should be drama free, yet all they do is argue and fight. I'm serious. It's sickening.

"Mom, trust me, she's fine."

"I just don't know, Max. I'm worried. She's been in a down mood for days." Then, suddenly, she smiled brightly at me. "You can go check on her."

"Me?"

"Yes. The two of you can talk. Have a heart to heart of sorts."

"Mom-"

"You have to, Max. She doesn't talk to me anymore."

"What makes you think she'll talk to me?"

"You're her older sister," she reasoned. "She'll tell you what's wrong. She'll listen to your advice. That's how that kind of thing works."

"I'm not too good at giving advice."

I got a look for that. "Really now? You don't think you're good at giving advice?"

I frowned at her. "Mom-"

"Max, can you just talk to her at least? Listen to her some? Please?"

I took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "Fine. I guess. After I finish my work here though."

"Of course." She smiled at me again. "Thank you, Max."

"Don't thank me yet," I warned her. I knew my sister. There was a good chance us having a 'talk' would only lead to disaster.

* * *

"Thanks, baby. I think I'll be able to move around again soon," Fang said as I gave him the piece of fruit. "I tried today, working in the labs. I had to go down there anyways, you know, for your mom to check out my back. I don't get it. I break a bone, I heal extremely fast. Why is my back still so screwed up?"

"Mom mentioned that you pulled something, but also your wings are-"

"What does she know?"

"Try a lot?"

Fang just shook his head, settling back on the blanket while taking a bite out of his apple. "So you gonna lay down with me or what?"

"Or what."

"Huh?"

I shook my head, staring down at him. He was up on the cliff he and I always slept on. It was secluded and overlooked the most frequented part of the island. My island.

"I have to go find my sister."

"Mmmm…no."

"Fang."

"Lay with me." He shifted slightly. "I hurt."

"I am hurt."

"You too?"

"I was correcting you, stupid."

"Don't make fun of the crippled, you big jerk."

"Don't call your girlfriend a big jerk, you idiot."

"Don't-"

"Stop." I held up my hand before staring at him. "I really do have to jet. I wanna go ahead and talk to her to get this over with."

"What are you gonna talk to her about?"

"Mom just wants me to talk to her. She thinks that Ella's acting different or something."

"I wouldn't know. Besides, what can be bothering her?"

"Your best friend."

"Max," Fang scolded. "Why do you pick on your sister?"

"I meant Iggy, stupid."

"Don't make fun of the crippled, you big j-"

"I don't have time for this."

Fang just smiled at me. "Well, get to it then, huh? So you can come back and nurse me to health?"

"I honestly think you're faking at this point, just so I have to baby you."

"You caught me, babe." He just stared up at me. "Punish me."

"Fang-"

"Come on. Do your worst."

I just kicked some dirt in his face before flying off. I played games with Fang a lot these days. We spent every day and nearly every night together. I figured he could use some alone time anyways. When we spent too much time together, we typically ended up fighting with one another. I just didn't feel like fighting with him again.

My sister wasn't hard to locate for once. Actually, it was rather simple. She was with Nudge, who I could always find in the same place around noon.

"Who caught you the squirrel?" I asked the other two girls as I came upon the fire they had set. "Iggy?"

We had a designated area on the island where you were allowed to make fires for dinner. Occasionally, I would grant permission for someone to start one elsewhere, but it was rare. I didn't want anyone setting the whole island ablaze, after all. The area I had set was close the ocean and away from the forest. Perfect.

"How dare you, Max," Nudge said, frowning at me. "You think I can't catch something on my own?"

"No, I just know that Fang usually-"

"Just because I'm a girl? Huh? Is that-"

"Dylan," Ella sighed. "Dylan caught an extra one and gave it to us."

I gave Nudge a look who just rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Well, I could have caught one, ya know."

Shaking my head, I sat down next to them. "So anyways, I was just wondering if you guys, you know, wanted to talk about anything."

Nudge was immediately suspicious. "Why? What have you heard?"

"Heard?"

"Whatever they've been telling you about me is-"

"I actually wanted to talk to my sister, Nudge."

I got a look this time. "Well then."

"We can talk later, sweetie," I told her before looking to Ella. "I've just noticed a change in you, Ella, and-"

"Mom sent you out here, didn't she?"

Was it that obvious that I didn't care much about my half-sister's feelings? Blinking, I thought about denying it, but then decided I didn't care about being caught either.

"Yeah. But I really am curious as to-"

"Do you really want to know?" she asked.

"I really want to know," Nudge butted in, taking a bite of squirrel.

"I think Iggy's cheating on me."

And I'm out.

"What?" Nudge looked at her in shock. "Really? With who?"

"I don't know. I just think-'

"Welp, I think we're done here," I said, standing.

"But Max-"

"Ella, if you really think he's cheating on you, fine. Break up with him. Don't be spreading gossip though."

"I think Fang's cheating on you too."

And I'm back in.

"What do you mean you think Fang's cheating on me?"

Nudge whistled. "Today might just be my favorite day."

"Shut up, Nudge," I said, making her frown again. "What do you mean, Ella?"

"I just mean that I might have seen Fang hanging around Jenna a lot."

"Jenna?"

Nudge offered up an answer. "That's that blonde girl that hangs out with Kris who hangs out with-"

"Thank you, Nudge," I cut her off before she gave me a headache. "So what if he's hanging out with this girl, Ella? Just because he's hanging out with her-"

"It's not her I think he's cheating with."

"Then who?"

"I personally think he's cheating with Blake."

I blinked. "Are you calling my boyfriend gay?"

"And the plot thickens."

"Shut up, Nudge," I repeated, almost growling it now. "What are you talking about, Ella?"

"Blake is a girl, Max. She lives on the island with us." She rolled her eyes. "God you're a bad leader. You don't even know the people on your island."

"Who is Blake? Since when is Blake a girl's name?"

"Since when is Max?"

Touché.

I let out a long breath, staring up at the sky. "Fang is not cheating me."

"Whatever you say."

"He's not. Why would he?"

"Well, you are kind of bitchy."

"Language, Nudge." I glared at her. "Or better yet, go. Leave And take your stupid squirrel with you."

"Fine. But then I won't tell you guys how we can find out if the guys are really cheating on you."

"Fang's not cheating me," I told her, but Ella just stared at her.

"How?"

"Easy. We spy on them."

"I don't need to spy on Fang. I trust him."

Ella just stared up at me. "Blake is a redhead."

I just stood there, watching her for a second. Then I looked off, kicking at the ground.

"Well…uh…I trust…"

"So Max is in." Nudge stood up, taking her squirrel on a stick with her. "Ella, put on the fire. We have spying to do."

"I don't need to spy on Fang," I insisted as my half-sister covered the fire with sand.

"Oh, whatever, Max."

"I don't."

"Redhead. Hmmm."

"Shut up, Nudge."

"You're a lot meaner to us these days," Ella mumbled.

Sending her a look, I said, "I really don't want to be a part of… What exactly is it you guys are going to do anyways, Nudge?"

"We're going to follow Iggy and Fang around the island, find out what they're doing, who they're hanging out with."

"Have you guys finished your duties for the week?"

"Max, please, this is serious."

"So am I."

Ella just held up her hand. "We've got bigger fish to fry right now."

Nudge's face lit up. "Ooh, Ella, next time we see Dylan, tell him we want a fish next time."

"That does sound good."

"Would the two of you focus?" I frowned at them. "If we're going to spy on the boys then we need to-"

"Thought you weren't going to get involved, Max?" Nudge asked as she walked away, taking another bite of squirrel as she went.

"Yeah," Ella sang, apparently happier when she was taunting me. "Thought you trusted Fang?"

"Shut up," I spit at them, following along behind regardless. "We're not spying on Fang. Just Iggy. Then, when you realize that he's not cheating on you, we can go about our days."

"No one's making you come along, you know," Nudge said. "In fact, we don't need your negative attitude."

"Yeah," Ella said. "Only serious attitudes."

I rolled my eyes. "Admit that you need my help not getting caught."

"Max, Max, Max, you should know by now that I happen to be very close with the master of recon himself," Nudge said, leading us through the forest. "He'll teach us everything we need to know."

* * *

**And this is my new story. With it, I'm trying a new thing, or old thing, I guess. I'm going with short, choppier chapters instead of those long ones. It fits the flow of this story better, I think. It's kind of a silly story, you know, instead of serious like Catch and Release or Island Time. **


	2. Chapter 2

Spy Games

Chapter 2

"The Gasman," I said slowly. "Gasman is your master of recon."

Nudge nodded. "Yeah. Of course. Who else would I go to?"

Ella sighed, following along behind the younger girl as she led us over to a group of little boys. Gasman was playing soccer with them and didn't notice our approach.

"Gazzy," Nudge called, waving at him. "Come here for a second."

He ignored her of course, continuing to play his game. He wouldn't ignore me though.

"Now, Gasman," I yelled at him, effectively halting the whole game. All the people on the beach looked at me then. Though I didn't know the names of all my followers, they all knew me. "I mean it."

Ella frowned, glancing at me. "I thought you thought this was stupid?"

"I just want to get on with it is all," I told her.

"Hmmm."

"What do you guys want? I was playing," Gazzy complained as he came over to us. "I already did my chores and I haven't done nothing wrong recently either."

"We need your help," Nudge said.

"With what?"

"Spying."

"Ask someone else. I'm busy."

"Who else would I ask, Gazzy?" Nudge frowned at him. "Come on, just help us. Recon and all that."

"Recon?"

"Recogan…ness…tince…s."

"What?"

Nudge just groaned. "Teach us how to spy. You're a boy. You should be good at that kinda stuff."

He shrugged slightly. "I'm kinda busy. Couldn't you ask Iggy or Fang?"

"Fang's back is all messed up and it's Iggy that we're spying on."

"Why are you spying on-"

"Don't you have any gadgets or anything?" Nudge asked. "Like inferred goggles or miniature cameras or anything like that?"

"What exactly do you think I am? A spy store?"

"You're a kid. A boy. I thought this is what boys do?"

"I'm not a boy! I'm a freaking man."

I groaned. "Nudge, can't we just follow behind Iggy? Follow him where he's going? See what he does?"

"I guess-"

"He'd be able to hear you," Gasman interjected. "Iggy has very good hearing."

"It's true," my half-sister muttered. "He does."

"It's only natural that all his other senses get better, huh?" Nudge looked around at us. "Right? Isn't that true?"

"I don't know," I said, frowning at her. "Look, Gasman, can you teach us how to spy on Iggy?"

"The great Maximum Ride can't spy on someone all alone?"

"I can," I said, frowning at him. "And don't make fun of me. I'm your leader."

"Do you want my help or not?"

"Yes," Nudge said while I crossed my arms, about done with the boy now. "We do."

"Well come on then," he said before calling out to his friends that he was quitting the game, that I wanted him for something. "Let's go find where he is and stalk him."

"Spy," Ella corrected. "I am not stalking him."

"You kind of are," I said.

"Shut up. You're spying on Fang too."

"I am not."

"'cause he's cheating on her," Nudge explained to the Gasman.

"Fang is not cheating on me!"

"Oh," Gazzy said slowly. "Blake huh?"

Does everyone know about this except for me?

* * *

"I'm uncomfortable."

"Shhh."

"But-"

"Be quiet or else he might hear you."

"He's not even here yet!"

My sister and I were conveniently hidden in the underbrush along a path that led deeper into the woods. Above us, Gasman and Nudge were hidden away in the trees above, awaiting Iggy just like we were. He was a creature of habit, my blind friend was. He almost always went into the woods every day right before sundown. I always assumed it was to, you know, take a dump, but Ella thinks it's for a complete other reason. I mean, maybe the boy has intestinal problems. Like, how is that any of our business? More importantly, if he does, I have zero desire to find out about it!

"I just don't like sitting like this," Ella complained.

"Yeah, well, it was you who wanted to spy in the first place," I grumbled right back. "Like I really wanted to spend my day doing this."

"You're the one who wanted to be involved. No one made you be involved."

"I'm only doing it because Mom-"

"Oh, whatever. If you don't want to do something, you don't do it. I know you, Max. You want to follow Iggy around as much as I do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Alright, alright, fine," I said, giving in. "But only because I want to make sure that you're okay."

"Yeah right."

"It's true, El," I said, glancing over at her. This bush was really rather scratchy… "I know how much you like Iggy. If he's cheating on you, I want to know."

"You know as well as I do you'll just take his side. What else is new?"

"Why would I take his side?"

"You know why."

"No."

"Because, Max, you and Iggy and Fang always take each others sides. Because y'all think that you're all bonded together or whatever. It's disgusting."

"Name one time-"

"When Iggy and I got into that fight that time over how he shoved me into the freaking ocean, you and Fang made excuses for him."

"Well, he was just playing around."

"See?"

"He was."

"We were arguing and he just shoved me in there."

"Well, he must have slipped."

"Are you even serious right now?"

Sighing, I closed my eyes. "You just don't get it, Ella. For a long time, it was just Iggy, Fang, and I. It's not that we think we're bonded, it's that we are bonded. Fang's my rock and Iggy's like my brother."

"But I'm your real sister."

Half, actually, but I don't plan on having that debate any time soon. Mainly because the last time I brought it up, good ol' Mom went into some long spiel about how she didn't want to leave me in the School and how she quit right after I was born and all this other emotional junk. I knew if I pushed it anymore, I'd have to hear about Ella's father, a topic of discussion I've avoided like the bubonic plague. I have enough daddy issues as it is. No need to rehash my sister's.

Half-sister, I mean.

"I know, El," I said, sighing. "You just don't get it."

"I would choose you over anybody. Why can't you do the same for me?"

"Iggy, Fang, and I-"

"I'm not even just talking about that anymore. I'm talking about just anyone in general," she said, now getting slightly louder. So much for being sneaky… And I got in the freaking bush and everything! "You always think that everyone else on the island is better than me, can do more stuff than me, is more reliable that-"

"Well, yeah, Ella," I said, frowning at her. "I don't know if you've noticed, but other than the scientists, you're the only person on the island without wings. The only kid."

"So?"

"So," I began, now slightly annoyed with her line of questioning, "you should consider yourself lucky to even be on my island."

I knew as the words left my mouth that I was going to offend her, but I couldn't help it. It'd been itchy at me for a long time. She was the only one on the island that hadn't gotten experimented on as a kid, never got tortured growing up. Did she not get how lucky she was? Why did she have to always act like she had it so hard? Like ooh, Iggy might be fooling around on her. Cry me a river.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yeah, Ella, I am," I said, staring straight ahead now. "If your mother hadn't brought you along, you'd probably be dead by now."

"My mother?"

"That's what she is, ain't she?"

"Our mother."

I still just faced forwards. "Whatever you say."

"Is she not? Is that what you're saying?"

"I'm just saying that I find it kinda funny that she sent me to come check on your wellbeing because you haven't been as perky and annoying as usual." I shrugged. "Just seems like if either of us deserved a constant check, it'd be me."

"What's wrong with you? Huh? What problems do you face daily, Max?"

Was she serious?

"Try this whole dang island. I deal with this whole island, am trying to deal with all of the business off the island, and still have a Flock that is in need of constant attention."

"Cry me a river."

"That was my line!"

Ella huffed. "You just don't get it, Max, since you and Fang have such a perfect relationship."

"Perfect? You were the one trying to say he's cheating on me!"

"Yeah, I said it. So? You still walk around like you've just got the most perfect guy-"

"Because I do."

"Yeah, well, I liked you with Dylan a lot more."

"Take it back," I warned.

"Make me."

"You-"

"Wait!" Ella was whispering now, looking back out the front of the bush. "It's him."

"What are you-"

"Shut up, Max," she hissed at me, pointing out of the bush. "It's Iggy."

So begins the spying. Sigh. I'm with Gazzy. This feels more like stalking. Only it's stalking that I really don't want to be involved in and with an end result that I couldn't care less about.

"He's alone," I muttered to her as softly as I could. "So let's just-"

"Shhh. We have to follow him."

"What?"

"What did you think spying was?"

I'm not sure, but they sure make it look a lot more fun in the movies…

* * *

"Is it an animal?"

"Nope."

"Is it…yellow?"

"Nope."

"Is it-"

"That was twenty questions."

"Na-ah."

"Yes, Angel, it was."

"You don't play right, Fang."

"Why? 'cause I don't let you win like Max does?" He just reached over, gently poking her in the sides where he knew she was most ticklish. Angel writhed away from him, giggling. "Now guess."

"Was it the ocean?"

"No."

"Then what was it?"

"One of the huts," Fang said, shifting from his spot on the ground as Angel cuddled back into him. "See? Down there?"

She just frowned. "So is it my turn now?"

"I don't wanna play, Angel," Fang sighed, settling back on the ground. "My back is killing me."

"You're a baby now, Fang."

"Ha ha."

"How come you won't just let Iggy heal you?" She was staring up at him now, her blue eyes locked with his dark ones. "He could, huh?"

"He's tried. Nothing works."

"Dr. Martinez thinks-"

"I know what she thinks. I don't care what she says. They're not cutting me open and messing with my back." Fang sighed slightly. "Don't you have anything to do today, Angel?"

"I want to be with you, Fang."

It had only been a few hours or so since Max left in which Fang had laid around bored the whole time. Then Angel showed up, apparently finding it her job to entertain him. Which was fine, really, as Fang and Angel did spend a lot more time together these days. Since they lost her back in Paris that time, Fang had turned somewhat into Max when it came to Angel. He'd always been soft on her, but now he was full-fledged on her side. He played with her, took her and some of her friends camping once in the woods, defended her to Max. It was amazing, really. Angel loved it.

"You wanna be with me?" Fang smiled at her before looking back up at the sky. "That's good. 'cause I was all bored without you."

"Where's Max? Working?"

"Something like that," he sighed, thinking about his girlfriend spending her free time worrying about stupid Ella. It wasn't that Fang disliked Ella or anything, but honestly, Fang was rather enjoying his back injury and what he could get Max to do because of it. She was much more lenient towards him and his whims when he was injured.

"Maybe she'll eat dinner with us."

"Maybe."

"If not, I'll eat with you, Fang."

"Good." Fang smiled at her. "I would like that a lot, Angel."

It's just something about losing someone that makes you realize how much you love them. Not that Fang would ever tell Angel he loved her or anything. He wasn't that kinda of a guy. He'd tell Max, but only when she really needed to hear it. But still, when he lost Angel, he just… He wouldn't let that happen again. Ever.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Lazy."

Fang sat up slightly as two of the other teens landed on the cliff with them. He smirked slightly when he saw who it was, but Angel just frowned.

"I'm injured," Fang told the two girls in front of him. "Besides, I never see the two of you doing much work."

"He must not look hard enough, Blake," Jenna, the blonde, said.

"Must not," the redhead responded. Then she smiled over at Angel. "Hi. You're Angel, right?"

She just glared at the other women before looking back up at Fang. He was just staring at them though, apparently forgetting the fact that moments before he was completely smitten with the idea of spending the rest of the evening with Angel. The nerve.

"Yes," Angel answered before looking back up at the boy next to her. "Fang, can we-"

"Not now, Angel," he said, shifting away from her. "Go, uh, find the others. Tell them about dinner or whatever. Ask Iggy what he's gonna make us. You know, all that stuff. Go do that. Now."

"But-"

"We'll eat dinner together," he told her, before glancing at the girls as if to say 'Kids. What are ya gonna do?' or something like that. Angel just frowned, standing up.

"Okay," she said slowly as Fang turned his attention back to the teens in front of him. Angel really didn't like how he was looking at them. For a second, she thought about using her mind control to get them to bug off, but figured she'd get in trouble for it later. "I guess I'll go then."

"Yeah, go find Max or whatever," he waved her off as Angel opened her angelic white wings.

Oh, she'd find Max. She just wasn't so sure Fang would like the results of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Spy Games

Chapter 3

"At least Gazzy's enjoying himself," I muttered more to myself than my sister as we crawled through the underbrush. I could hear Gasman and Nudge doing the same in the trees above. Well, not crawling, but jumping. Same difference.

"Shhh," my sister shushed which only succeeded in making me roll my eyes.

"How far is he going to freaking go?" I grumbled, no longer amused with this stupid charade. "This isn't fun anymore."

"Anymore?"

"You know what I mean."

Iggy eventually came to a stop at the end of the path. He was feeling his way around now, hands out, as if trying to find something. When his hand finally brushed against a certain tree, he laughed slightly, finding his way down a branching path.

"Where is he going?" Ella mumbled to me.

"I dunno. Fang and I mostly just stay up top, on the cliffs and in the caves."

"I'm sure you do."

"What's that-"

"Shhh!"

I was really about done with her. I mean, God, I was doing this as a favor. And if the favor wasn't for Mom, I'd probably had already given up and claimed that it was an impossible task. And wasn't it? How can I prove that Iggy's cheating on Ella when he isn't? Because honestly, I don't think that Iggy is cheating on Ella. At all.

We had to stop long before Iggy, as he made it into a clearing. Hanging back in the underbrush, Ella and I watched as he headed towards the center of the clearing, which held some kind of runoff from the ocean, forming some type of lagoon or something. I'm not too good with that kind of terminology.

"What's he doing?" Ella whispered to me as he stopped just as his bare feet hit the water. Iggy was rare to wear shoes. After a year on the island, he'd built up so many calluses on his feet that it doesn't matter much anymore.

"I dunno."

Iggy just sat down, his feet in the water.

"I think he's relaxing," I muttered, shaking my head. "This was dumb. He's not doing anything."

"Maybe he's waiting for someone," Ella said, biting her nails now. Reaching over, I grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her mouth, sighing slightly.

"Ella, I really don't think-"

"Who's there?"

I froze as Iggy suddenly turned his towards our general area. "Who-"

"It's me."

Frowning, I watched Angel walked into the clearing as well. The heck?

"Oh. What's up?"

Angel just went to sit down next to him. "I was looking for Max. I need to talk to her."

"Can't you just get in her head and tell her what's up?"

"No. She gets on me a lot about that now. I'm trying to be good."

"You? Good?"

"Iggy."

He just reached over blindly searching for her head to pat. Once he found it, he shifted his hand down so his arm was draped across her shoulders. "How'd you find me?"

"I just asked around. Someone told me they saw you go down this path. I just followed it to you."

"Mmmm."

"Iggy…"

"What?"

"If you knew something, like something serious about Max that would affect Fang, would you tell him?"

"Like what?"

"Like if she was still dating Dylan too?"

What the hell was she going on about? I crossed my arms, trying to keep myself from going over there and sort everything out.

"Oh yeah. Definitely."

"Oh." Angel looked down at her hands before back up at the blind teen. "Would you tell Max if Fang was doing something with someone else?"

"Eh…probably not."

What?

"Why not?" Angel asked, clearly confused.

"Because me and Fang are boys. We've got each others backs."

"Oh. So you don't have Max's?"

"I do. I guess. Kinda."

He was so dead. So dead. I would kill him. Cheater or not Iggy was dead. Dead and buried. Gone. Over. Dead. So, so dead. God.

"Do you not like her?"

"I do. Max is our leader, Angel."

"I guess so."

He hugged her to him slightly, wiggling his toes in the water. I'll cut those damn toes off. I swear. God, I swear.

"It's just different," Iggy told her. "Like you, you're a girl. You would never tell on Max. Or any other girl for that matter."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And I'm a guy."

"A boy."

"A man," he decided finally. "I don't tell on other men."

"If you're a man, does that make Max a woman."

"No, that's not what makes her a woman."

I'll stab him. In the heart. Then I'll pull his damn sightless eyeballs out and feed them to Total. Or Akila. Whichever will eat them. Don't matter to me.

"Then what-"

"The point is, Angel, that I wouldn't tell on Fang. I might talk to him, tell him that I don't think what he's doing right, but I wouldn't tell on him. I'd try to fix things myself."

"Why wouldn't you do that with Max?"

"Because, Ange, Max is a girl."

"A woman."

"A chick," he determined. "And chicks cheat because they're not getting enough attention or because they've fallen in love with the guy they're cheating with."

"Really?"

I'll bash his head in. I'll use the bits of his skull to make jewelry and wear it. I will wear jewelry. Of Iggy's bones. As mementos. Because I'm hardcore.

"Yes," he said, nodding his head affirmatively. Ella was just silent next to me, watching him as well. I don't think she was having as murderous thoughts as I, but hey, I'm a violent person. It comes with the territory.

"So what would telling Fang do?"

"It'd let him know either 'Hey, start paying your girl some attention' or that 'Hey, your chick's fallen in love. It's not with you. Move on, bro.'"

"Oh."

"So see, Angel? It's a gender thing."

"Max says that gender don't matter that much."

"Max can hardly read. What does she know?"

I'll gut him. I'll gut the little blind fool and watch him slowly die. Then I'll eat his intestines. Raw. In front of all his friends.

"Would you ever cheat on Ella?" Angel asked, looking up at him once more. Iggy just shook his head.

"Nah. She's my girl."

"Your chick."

"My woman." He ruffled Angel's blonde hair. "I love her. You know?"

"Does Fang love Max?"

"I-"

"Oh, Iggy!"

My sister suddenly jumping out of the bush scared the crap out of me. And I was next to her! Still, I thought we were all in agreement that we were stalking, I mean spying, on Iggy. You don't do something like that when you're spying. At least you don't in the movies.

"Ella?" He stood up, turning towards the sound of her voice. "What-"

"Oh, I love you too! So much!" She literally launched herself at him. This of course too Iggy off guard and he fell backwards, right into the little pond/lagoon thingy.

"That's not how you spy on someone, Ella," Nudge complained as she and the Gasman jumped out of the trees. "God, you suck at everything."

Angel frowned, staring at all of us. "What were you guys- Oh, Max."

"Hey, sweetie," I said awkwardly as I climbed out of the bush as well. "What's up?"

She seemed to forget her question from before as she rushed over to me.

"Max, I gotta tell you something."

"W-"

"What were you guys doing? Who all is here?" Iggy was trying to get out of the water, now, clearly annoyed. "Ella-"

She just wrapped her arms around him, both of them soaking wet now as they stood in the water. "I love you too, Iggy."

"What-"

"I thought that you were cheating on me."

"You what?"

"So we were following you around, trying to find out."

"Wait, what?"

"But now I know that you're not so it's all okay!" She bounced slightly, threatening to take the blind guy down again. "I'm so happy!"

"Max," Angel whined, pulling on my hand to get my attention. "I have something I gotta tell you."

"What, honey?" I looked back down at her, more focused on Ella and Iggy. I mean, really, what was accomplished? So yeah, Iggy confessed his love for Ella to Angel, but did that really mean he wasn't cheating on her? Oh well. At least she's happy again. Win one for Maximum Ride.

"Um…I was with Fang earlier."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Yeah, and he was with these girls."

Got my attention.

"What girls?"

"Jenna."

"Oh, they're just fr-"

"And some girl named Blake."

I stared at her a moment before swallowing. "Well, uh, that's not that big of a deal. Fang does have friends, sweetie."

"Yeah, but he sent me away."

"Sent you away?"

"He was like real mean about it too," she said, frowning. Clearly, she was more upset about how rude he was to her. "We were having fun, playing twenty questions, and talking and stuff."

This wasn't shocking. Fang and Angel had forged some kind of bond recently, which really just annoyed me for the most part. He typically would now take her side when she was totally out of line with me. Still, it was kind of cute, I guess. Fang really did love Angel and that was just his new way of showing it.

"Then what?" I asked, staring down at her. "Angel?"

"Then they showed up and he, like, didn't even care that I was there. He just kept staring at them. And then that one, Blake, asked my name and he still wouldn't look at me." She crossed her arms, always one to get putout by being ignored. "Then when I tried to talk to him, he told me that I should go find you and tell you about dinner tonight and find Iggy and ask him what he was making and all this other stuff."

I just kept looking at her, not really even listening anymore. Then, finding my voice finally, I said, "Well, I don't think-"

"He just kept looking at them," she went on, still upset that Fang had chosen someone over her. "It's not fair. We were playing and having fun. Then he just kept looking-"

"Ogling."

"Shut up, Nudge," I said, hardly glancing at her as she butted into the conversation. I couldn't do this. I really couldn't do this.

And okay, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal, Fang being around these girls, if he hadn't left me before. I mean, he's literally left me. Like gone to a whole other continent. Multiple times. And I know that relationships thrive on trust, but he just makes it so hard. So, so hard.

"I've saved one relationship, Max," Nudge told me, nodding her head slightly. "So, now that you've seen the magic that I can work, do you want to-"

"I said to shut up, Nudge," I repeated, closing my eyes for a moment. The heck was I supposed to do now? Confront him? For what? He hadn't really done anything. Act like nothing was wrong? Everyone knew I couldn't do that. Acting like everything was good wasn't my strong suit.

"Max," Ella called over to me, still hanging off her boyfriend. I just gave her the stink eye. "Aren't you so happy? Iggy's not cheating on me!"

I just stared at him for a moment before looking back at Angel. I really couldn't give two craps what the heck her and Iggy did. Not when my own relationship was on the line.

* * *

"We were, like, totally just talking about how we wanted fish, Dylan," Nudge gushed as she took a bite of hers. "Like seriously. Thank you so much. It's freaking amazing. Like-"

"You're welcome, Nudge," he said, poking at the fire in the center of our circle. "Just saw some other guys fishing and thought I should try my hand at it."

Fang made a face before glancing to his side at me. In my ear, he whispered, "I don't know about you, but my fish is disgusting."

He was joking of course and even gave me a playful elbow to the ribs. I just shifted away from him, not saying anything.

"What's wrong?" Fang frowned at me. "I hobbled the whole way down here to have dinner with you guys. Why are you so down?"

"I'm not," I told him sharply, moving to grab a piece of fruit out of the pile in front of me. "I'm fine."

"You're obviously not."

"I said that I'm fine, Fang."

"Alright, whatever," he said, moving away from me as well. When I got upset with him, Fang usually just ignored me for awhile until I got over it. He wasn't into drama.

…So what the hell was he doing with girls as friends?

"Here," Ella was saying as she fed her boyfriend a piece of fish. "It's good, huh? Dylan did a good job."

"Yeah," Iggy agreed, his one arm wrapped tightly around her. "Real good."

"Not as good as you," she bragged.

"Who could be?"

They make me want to barf. Seriously.

"You like your fish, Angel?" Fang had turned to look at her, as she was on his other side. "Huh?"

"It's okay."

"Just okay, eh?" Dylan smiled at her from across the circle, seated between Gazzy and Ella. "I'm offended."

She giggled some which made Fang frown. He was getting what he deserved though, so I didn't say anything.

"Remember, Max, I could fix all this," Nudge, who was on my other side, whispered to me. "I fixed Ella and Ig-"

"You fixed nothing. He wasn't cheating on her, she realized that, the end."

"Well, I was there."

"Bugs were there, probably, crawling on the ground. I'd trust them over you."

"Well then."

After dinner, everyone dispersed for their before bed activities. Fang immediately got up, nodding at me to do the same.

"You ready to go up to the cliff and, uh, hangout together?" He scratched the back of his neck, wagging his eyebrows slightly. "My back's acting up real bad. I could use a-"

"Actually, Fang, I think I'm going to stay in the girls hut tonight."

"What?"

I nodded slightly. "If you're back is that bad, you shouldn't fly all the way up there."

"It's not that-"

"So, goodnight."

"You're going to bed now?"

Nodding, I walked passed him. "So, I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Max, what did I do?"

"Nothing. God."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm n-"

"Fine." Fang opened his wings. "I'll be asleep on our cliff if you want me."

I just watched him fly away, wanting to make sure his back didn't suddenly spasm causing him to fall from the sky. He didn't though. So I just headed to the girls' hut, not even looking back.

Fang hadn't mentioned that he was hanging out with those girls. No matter what he was doing, that within itself is wrong. …Right? God, maybe I do need Nudge's help.


	4. Chapter 4

Spy Games

Chapter 4

"Maybe it's your body odor."

"I don't have body odor."

"Fang, we live on a tropical island. We all have body odor."

He just groaned, rolling onto his back. "I dunno, Iggy. Max normally likes my smell. Or at least she's never said anything. And I still have that body wash from when we left the island last time. I use it."

"Hmmm. Maybe it's your hair." Iggy bit into the fruit in his hand before speaking with his mouth full. "What's your hair like right now?"

"Not long, really, but not shaven anymore." Fang shook his head before running a hand through his hair. "Max likes it like this. At least she used to."

"Maybe she likes it shaved now."

"Maybe."

"Or styled. You could try a Mohawk."

"I dunno. That's kinda permanent, you know?" Fang stretched slightly, his back tight as ever. "If she doesn't like it, I'm screwed."

"Maybe it's your facial hair."

"I hardly have any facial hair!"

"That's probably the problem. Nudge told me that Dylan's rocking a sick beard these days."

He blinked. "Nudge said this?"

"Not those exact words."

"The stupid prick hardly has a goatee. That's what he's going for, I think." Fang shook his head. "Besides, Max isn't into Dylan. She's into me."

"Correction. She was into you."

The two teens were out on a more secluded part of the beach. Fang had gone there to be alone early that morning, but his back started spasming and he couldn't get up. Iggy found him there when he was taking his daily walk around the beach with Gazzy. He had sent the younger boy away before going to console his friend.

"I just don't get it. We've slept up on that cliff together every night. Every night! And when she's off the island, busy with stuff, I sleep alone. That's the only time I'm alone." Fang closed his eyes. "We're in love, Iggy. Love."

"Alright, chill."

"No, I won't chill. I love Max. I-"

"Have you been drinking?"

"…Stay on topic, Iggy."

"You were, weren't you?"

"Only a little."

"You've been in our stash, haven't you?" The blind man frowned. "Fang-"

"I'm in mourning." Fang groaned. "I'm injured, my girl don't love me anymore, I can hardly work. What's the point anymore? What's the freaking point?"

"You get really depressed when you drink."

"I mean, God, I'd throw myself into the ocean and drown if I didn't have gills."

"Why rob society of the amazingness that is Fang?"

"That's another reason."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Aren't you funny?" Fang shook his head. "This is my life, you know."

"Fang, she didn't sleep up on the cliff with you one time. Chill. You act like the two of you don't fight all the time."

"We don't fight, Iggy, we get into little arguments. And we always make up before bed."

"How much do you make up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like have you guys…uh…has your situation _changed_ since we last talked about it?"

"Oh." Fang scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, no. Not really. We still fool around, but-"

"Maybe that's what she wants."

Fang frowned. "That? Like the literal that?"

"Yeah. I mean, what else can it be?"

"If she wanted that, wouldn't she have wanted to be alone last night?"

"Maybe she thinks that you don't want it."

"Ha. Hardly. I doubt it. How could she not know?"

"I don't know. I don't have that problem," Iggy said with a slight shrug.

"God, shut up. I know. I don't care about what you and Ella do. At all. God."

"I'm trying to help."

Fang was quiet for a moment. "You think that's what she wants then? For me to like…seduce her or something?"

"Sure."

"…I dunno, Ig. I mean, if Max wanted that, couldn't she just, like, come out and say it?"

"Maybe she's embarrassed."

"I guess so."

"So sober up, buddy." Iggy took another bite of his fruit. "You're gonna have a busy day today."

"Aye-aye."

* * *

"-hasn't shown up for work. I assumed it was 'cause he was hurt or whatever. I mean, he did work in the labs yesterday. Maybe you should try there, Max."

"Alright," I sighed as the guy in front of me went back to chopping wood. "Thanks, Kris. If Fang does show up though, can you send him my way? After work, I mean?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." Walking away from the people building huts, I started to head down the path towards the labs in the caves. I doubted Fang was down there working, but on the off chance he was, it was a good chance to catch up with him. I'd blown him off last night and was starting to feel kinda bad.

"Hey, Mom," I greeted when I found her. She didn't even look back at me, just continued studying something in her microscope. Figuring she was busy, I took a stool and sat down, waiting.

"Hi, Max," she greeted the second she had written all the things down she needed before turning to look at me. "What's up?"

"Has Fang come down here to work today?" I asked, looking around the cavern. The scientists did a good job with this place, I'd give them that much. "Or been around here?"

"Not today, no. It's still early though, Max."

"I've been looking for him, but I haven't seen him anywhere."

"Is something a matter, honey?"

"…Fang and I are sort of fighting."

"Oh."

"I think he's still mad at me because I slept in the hut with the girls last night."

She glanced at me before going back to her clipboard. "Well, Max, I've told you before that I don't agree with what you and Fang are doing up there in that cave anyways."

"Cliff. We only sleep in the cave if it's raining."

"Max-"

"Mom, you know that we're not doing anything anyways. Not that at least."

"Still. I don't think you should tempt yourselves in-"

"I just wanted to know if you've seen Fang," I said, standing now. "And since you haven't-"

"What are the two of you fighting over anyways, Max?"

I sighed, standing there for a moment. "Nothing, really."

"Max-"

"Ella thought that Iggy was cheating on her, so we spied on him-"

"You what? You girls don't need to be-"

"-until Angel ruined it and Iggy admitted that he wasn't cheating on Ella and they made up. Then Angel told me all about how Fang was hanging out with her when these two…chicks showed up and he ditched her for them."

Mom looked at me. "Is that the end of the story?"

"Mom, he was with two girls. Alone."

"I thought you knew that he had friends on this island."

"Friends is one thing. Wanting to be alone with some redhead-"

"Here we go."

"What?"

"I've heard this one before," Mom said, going back to her papers once more. "That girl, in Virginia was it?"

"You don't' have to sound so put out," I said, frowning. "You're the one who asks about my life."

She just sighed. "Max, Fang likes you. A lot."

"I know."

"And you guys are young. It's only natural that Fang would-"

"It is not 'natural' to cheat on someone. If he doesn't want to be with me, then he shouldn't be with me. It's that easy to say that you don't want to be with someone. That easy. And if he-"

"Max, I'm very busy today. Perhaps we can talk over dinner tonight?"

"Dinner will be too late, Mom," I complained. "I have to find out if Fang's cheating on me now."

"What's going to happen between now and dinner?"

"I don't know! Anything could happen. Fang and those girls could-"

"Would you calm down? Please? Take a deep breath." She shook her head. "Honestly, Max, it's kind of disheartening to see you act this way. And over a boy no less."

"Fang's not a boy, Mom."

"Oh?"

"I mean, he's just not some boy. He's…he's…"

"He's a distraction."

"From?"

"Your work. You're a very important person. Far more important than you get credit for these days." She shook her head. "I just don't want to see you knocked up young and spending all your time with Fang. That's not the life that was envisioned for you."

"Yeah, because that one was made for Dylan, not Fang, right?"

"There are a lot of factors to add in."

"Mom."

"Max, all I'm saying is that you're very emotional right now for some reason. And over what? Fang being alone with two girls? Sweetie, you live on an island full of other people. Young people. If the two of you are going to get jealous every time something like this happens, perhaps you need to look into if you're mature enough for a serious relationship."

"I guess you're right."

"Now can we finish this later? I honestly am busy."

"Yeah, okay."

"Thank you."

After leaving the labs, I immediately ran into Nudge and Ella. Or, well, they were waiting for me at the entrance was more like it.

"See?" Ella asked, nodding at me. "I told you, Nudge, that she'd be in the labs. Working no doubt."

"Work, work, work. That's all you ever do. No wonder Fang's cheating on-"

"Shut up." I walked passed the two of them, shaking my head. "We don't know that."

"Of course we know that. How could we not know that?" Nudge was quick to follow me. I swear, no matter how bad I am to this girl, I just can't get rid of her. God. "So now that we know that, we need to spy on Fang to-"

"If we already know it, why would we need to spy?"

"Whose side are you on, Ella?" Nudge frowned at her as she trailed along behind.

"Have either of you done any of your work for the week?" I asked finally. "Because if not, I will have to punish-"

"Max, Max, Max. Can you not focus on something else for a change? Please?"

"Work is important. If everyone doesn't pull their weight-"

"Are you calling us fat?"

"Nudge, honestly, you're just so…slow sometimes."

She frowned at me. "You're rude. You know that?"

"I'm rude? You're the one telling me that my boyfriend is cheating on me!"

"Actually, Angel did that. I'm just driving it home so that we can play spies again." She bounced slightly. "That was so much fun."

"Yeah, yeah." I just kept walking. "So much fun. You didn't get stuck with Ms. Whiny Pants."

"I can hear you," Ella complained. "And you come up with the lamest insults, by the way."

"Oh, shut up," I said as we finally made it to the main beach where everyone hung out.

I quickly picked out Angel and the Gasman, each hanging out with their separate group of friends. I just liked to check on them a couple times a day, make sure they were okay. I know that they thought they were independent and everything, but I just didn't like not knowing if someone was picking on them or bullying them. They're still the youngest members of the Flock, after all.

"Where are we going?" Nudge asked as we continued down the beach. "Max?"

"We aren't going anywhere. I'm going to be alone for awhile."

"Ooh, we'll tag along."

"Nudge-"

"Max, we just want to help you figure all this stuff with Fang out is all," Ella spoke up. "Swear."

I glanced back at the two of them, sighing. Did I trust them? Not a chance. However, I didn't have much to do that day. I had already fulfilled my weekly duties and though I usually would go above and beyond that, I just wasn't up for it. Not knowing my relationship with was in jeopardy.

"Fine, I concede," I said finally, much to the enjoyment of the two younger teens. "But don't either of you annoy me. Understood?"

"Loud and clear," Ella said.

"Over and out," Nudge added on.

"Oh," I groaned, headed for the forest now. "It's gonna be a long day…"

* * *

**So I was sitting here writing this and I couldn't stop thinking about where they all slept in Island Time. Random, I know, but I cannot for the life of me remember. Did they sleep in huts? Caves? Did Max and Fang sleep alone, like in this story? Or did I just never mention it? I know it's only been like, what, a year, but I can't remember. Please, someone remind me if you know or else it's gonna eat away at me until I reread that story. I beg of you. I remember later in the story they were all, like, sleeping on the ships and shit because of zombies, but in the beginning, was it mentioned? It doesn't matter, I know, but it's bothering me. I will, like, be up all night hooked on that story which I know is lame, reading your own stories, but I can't help it sometimes. (Does that sound conceited? Or, like, arrogant? I didn't mean it that way if it did. Seriously.)**

**And that only pertained to the people that read any of my other stories, so for the rest of you, I hope that the next chapter of this will be up some time either later in the day or tomorrow. So thanks for all the reviews. I don't get a lot of reviews these days, and I always like it when I do get some. **


	5. Chapter 5

Spy Games

Chapter 5

"What are you doing?"

Fang frowned as the Gasman began following him down the beach. "Trading things."

"For what?"

"Candles."

"Are we holding a séance?"

"No."

"Oh. Are we gonna tell ghost stories?"

"No."

"Are we-"

"We're not doing anything, Gasman."

"Then what are you gonna do with candles?"

"Max and I are going to have a romantic night alone together."

"Ew."

He gave the little boy a look. "I just need to get some blankets now."

"You can use the one that we have in our hut."

"I already got that one. I need another."

"Why do you need two?"

"This is special, Gasman. Max can't be lying on the ground."

He frowned. "Ew, are you guys…ew. That's… Why did you tell me, Fang?"

The older teen felt his face heat up some. He didn't blush of course because, duh, he's Fang, but he did get inwardly embarrassed. He hadn't meant to tip the other boy off so much. It just kinda all came out at once.

"Go away," Fang said then, shifted the candles in his arms. "Or better yet, take these up to Max and my cliff. Leave them there and then go away and stay away. Got it?"

"Why should I?"

"'cause I freaking said so."

That was enough for the younger boy. Taking the candles from him, he said, "You can keep that blanket, by the way. Iggy and I don't want it back."

Rolling his eyes, Fang patted the boy on the head before sending him off. Now all Fang needed was another blanket, some matches, and deodorant. And some cologne if he could find some. Oh, and tooth paste.

This would have to be perfect, after all. Max would want it that way.

"Maybe a nice dress shirt too," Fang mumbled to himself. Running a hand down his chest, he debated whether that dress shirt should be buttoned up or not. He didn't want to be too suggestive, after all. Besides, in all those pornos he used to watch, undressing was part of the fun.

And this would be a lot of fun.

* * *

"So since we've already decided that Fang's cheating on you, let's talk about the reasons why he might and how you can fix it."

I frowned at Nudge. "If he is cheating on me, I don't want to fix it. It's over."

"Girl power!" Ella held up her hand. I just stared for a moment before she spoke. "Uh, high-five, Max."

"Yeah, no."

"Oh, whatever, Max," Nudge began again as Ella lowered her hand dejectedly. "You took the boy back when he freaking left you. Multiple times. Even when you had the unbelievably hot Dylan."

"Since when is Dylan-"

"Focus Max!"

"Besides," Ella added on. "He's rocking a smoking hot goatee."

"I know," Nude said. "And he can fish."

"And-"

"I thought we were talking about Fang?" I asked, frowning.

"Oh yeah, him."

I gave Nudge a look. "Fang is very hot too. Unbelievably so."

"The only thing that's unbelievable is that you waste your time on him."

"Coming from the girl that's with Iggy? Iggy?" I rolled my eyes. "Your guy radar is totally off whack anyways."

"You little b-"

"Stop it. This is about Fang's cheating, not you two's catty behavior." Nudge rolled her eyes. "So anyways, Max, when's the last time you and Fang went on a date?"

"A date?"

"Yeah, a date."

"Um…last time we left the island, I guess."

"What?"

I shrugged slightly. "What do you think we can we do on an island? We hangout if that's what you mean."

"No, that is not what I mean." Nudge looked at Ella. "Can you believe her?"

"Max, sometimes Iggy makes me, just me, dinner and we go eat alone."

"Fang and I eat on our own sometimes. I guess. Or whatever."

"What kind of date did the two of you have off the island anyways?" Ella asked.

"When we went to Europe the last time, Fang and I went out alone and ate at this rundown restaurant."

"They have restaurants?" Ella asked.

"In some parts of the world, they already have power and stuff," Nudge told her. Ella had never left the island and I think she was a little jealous of that fact. "Not a lot, but some. It's nice. We've stayed in some hotels with, like, running water too. Not all the time."

"What did you guys do after you went out to eat?" Ella asked me.

"We walked around, held hands. Then we went flying. Fell asleep on the roof of some abandoned building. Got in trouble for not getting back to the hotel by Mom. But really, that's not fair of her to-"

"What did you guys do on the roof before you fell asleep?" Nudge prodded.

"Uh, talked?"

"Max," Ella complained. "She means, like, did you kiss?"

"Well, yeah. We kiss all the time."

"Did you, like, kiss for real? Make out or whatever?"

"Yes," I said with a blush. "We make out. We did that night."

"Did you snuggle?"

"Nudge-"

"I bet Fang's a snuggler," Ella said with an affirmative nod towards the younger girl.

"What are your pet names for each other?"

"Knock it off," I told them.

"Max, you have to be completely honest with us," Nudge told me. "It's the only way to discover the problem."

I couldn't do this.

"Max, it's just between us," Ella assured me. "Girl talk."

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly before saying, "Sometimes I call him Raven or my falcon or something like that. Hawk. Stuff like that."

Nudge and Ella just stared at me. Then, slowly, Nudge asked, "You call him bird names?"

"Well, yeah."

"And that makes the two of you…hot?" Ella asked.

"Well-"

"What does he call you?"

"Nudge-"

"Tell us, Max," she insisted. "Come on."

"He doesn't call me anything."

"Really? He doesn't have any kind of pet name for you? The girl that he's known his whole life?"

I sighed loudly. "He doesn't call me names. He just likes to tell me how much he loves me and how he'd die without me and how I'm his whole world and that he'd slit his own wrists if I broke up with him. Stuff like that."

Again I got stares.

"I swear, the two of you are psychotic," Nudge said, shaking her head.

"I don't even think we should help the two of you stay together."

I gave my sister a look. "This isn't about our relationship though. This is about whether or not Fang's cheating on me."

"Right." Nudge nodded slightly. "And to determine that, we first must decide why he would cheat."

"How do we do that?"

"Well, we can start with the most basic concept."

"Which is?"

Ella and Nudge both looked at each other before my half-sister spoke.

"How much…loving do you give Fang?"

"Loving?"

"You know."

"No."

"Max."

"What?"

"Don't make me say it."

"Say what?"

"Max."

"What are you-"

"How much sex are you having?" Nudge finally asked in her blunt way.

"Nudge!"

"Well, you were just beating around the bush," she defended to Ella before looking back t me. "Well?"

I just gapped at her for a moment before speaking. "I swear, Nudge, if I had some soap right now, I would wash out your m-"

"So none," Ella said flatly.

"This is a very private matter-"

"None," Nudge agreed, shaking her head slightly. "Max, you have, like, one of the hottest guys on the island and you're not even giving him head?"

"Forget the soap. You're grounded. Which one of your friends have been saying words like that? You're in so much trouble, Nudge. You-"

"Okay, maybe Nudge is being a little brash," Ella said, looking around the empty clearing we were sitting in. "But Max, come on. Are you and Fang honestly doing nothing at all?"

"Well, we kiss. Make out. That kind of stuff."

"You've never…gone further? Ever? Or even fooled around?"

The red in my cheeks turned an even darker red.

"I let him, like, grind against me once, but-"

"Did he cum?"

"Nudge!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to save your relationship, Max." She rolled her eyes heavily. "I mean, God, Max, how can you not be having sex with him? What are you waiting for? You guys have been together since you were born, practically. It's not like you're going to get to know him any better or something stupid like that."

"It hasn't come up."

"When he was grinding against you, you never thought that maybe he was trying to get you to take off your pants?"

"Ella."

"What, Max? I'm trying to help."

"Not every guy is a horny pig."

They both looked at each other before Nudge said, "Yeah, they kind of are."

"God, Max, you don't think Fang doesn't want to have sex, do you?"

"I know he does," I said, frowning. "I just don't think it's that big of a deal in our relationship. I mean, we have fun without it."

"Max, if he's not getting it from you, he's getting it from somebody."

"Nudge, that's-"

"True," Ella told me. "If he's not getting it at home, he's likely to roam."

"Did you just make that up?" Nudge smiled at my sister. "That one's good."

"It just came to me. I mean, I'm always good with rhyming. Like once in grade school, I got to read my poem to the whole school at an assembly."

"Really? What was it about?"

"About how I-"

"Would you two idiots shut up?" I frowned at them. "My God."

"For someone that came to us for help, you sure are-"

"I didn't come to you two," I told Nudge. "You idiots came to me."

"Stop calling us idiots," Ella said. "You're the one that was dumb enough to not have sex with your boyfriend. Whose fault is that?"

Jumping up, I immediately headed off before taking to the sky. They're the dumbest people I have ever met. I swear.

* * *

"Hi, Fang."

He frowned, but continued to do his pushups. Angel just landed on the cliff, looking around for a moment before approaching him.

"What are you doing with all these candles? And how come you stink?"

"I don't stink, Angel. This is cologne."

"What's that?"

"It's a manly perfume." He finally stopped working out, moving to stand.

"Why are you shirtless?"

"I didn't want to get my shirt sweaty."

"Why are you working out? And what's with the pillow? Where'd you get it?"

"I had to trade a lot for it," Fang said. "That and the blankets."

"But why?"

"Uh…" He frowned, trying to figure out a plausible excuse for the little mind reader. "Max and I get uncomfortable up here, you know. On the cold, hard ground."

"Oh." Angel bounced slightly. "So what are the candles for?"

"Just 'cause we like the smell."

"Like with your cologne?"

"Exactly."

"Why are you working out then?"

"'cause, Angel, I need to stay at peak physical condition."

Giggling, she went and got him his shirt when he pointed to it. "Where'd you get a button up shirt?"

"Trade for the too."

"Are you and Max going out on a date tonight?"

"Sort of," he said, nodding his head.

"That's nice."

"Mmmhmm."

"So you don't wanna eat dinner with me?"

"Not tonight, Angel," he said, buttoning up his shirt. "Maybe tomorrow, huh?"

"Can we eat breakfast together?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Max and I will probably be sleeping in tomorrow morning."

"Oh."

"Yeah, and we'd really appreciate it if you didn't bother us tonight."

She frowned, now suspicious. "How come?"

"Because Max and I want to spend the maximum amount of alone time as possible."

"Is today your anniversary or something?"

"Is it?"

"I don't know. I was asking you."

Could that be why Max was so mad at him?

"Hey, Angel?"

"What?" She had gone over to one of the lit candles and was smelling it, giggling slightly.

"Has Max mentioned to you why she was so upset?" He went over to the little girl and stared down at her. "She wouldn't sleep up here with me last night. Is something wrong?"

"I dunno. I thought she just wanted to sleep with me." Angel giggled. "We cuddled last night. It was cold."

"I know," he said with a slight frown. "I was up here all alone."

"You could have come snuggled too, Fang."

He just patted her on the head. "You sure you have no idea, Angel? She just suddenly got upset with me over nothing."

"Oh." Angel looked off for a moment. "I want to smell this candle. What do you think it-"

"Angel," Fang said slowly, staring at her hard now. "What did you do?"

"Look, Fang." She rushed over to an orange candle. "It smells like a pumpkin! Like Halloween. Remember when-"

"Angel, look at me."

"Fang-"

"What did you tell Max?"

She just stood there, holding the orange candle. "Will you yell at me?"

"Angel-"

"I don't want you to be mad at me is all."

"What did you do?"

"You were really mean to me, Fang. You sent me away when those girls showed up and that wasn't nice." She sat the candle down, glaring at him now. "I thought we were playing, but then you just-"

"What did you tell her, Angel?"

She looked at the ground. "That you were hanging out alone with two girls."

"What?"

"And that you made me leave."

"Angel, how could you-"

"You did, Fang! You did that. You were mean to me. And I was being so nice to you because you hurt your back." She turned her glare back on him. "And now you're up here doing pushups? I thought you were hurt? You're a liar. You're a mean-"

"Knock it off. Now."

"No! You-"

"I took some pills from Max's mother finally and they helped my back pain," he told her. "So don't call me a liar."

"But-"

"You were very bad, Angel," Fang told her. "Telling on me like that. I thought we were buddies."

"We are, but-"

"You don't go tattle on your buddies, do you?"

"No, but-"

"If you thought I was wrong, you should have come to me, not Max. That's almost like going behind my back." He shook his head. "I'm very disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry."

He just shook his head. "I accept that, Angel, but you still screwed things up between Max and I. Do you get that? And why?"

"Because I thought Max should-"

"No. You were jealous. Admit it."

"Well…yeah."

"Alright. Come here."

She quickly moved to hug the teen. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Do you think I should-"

"I think you should go find Iggy, have him give you dinner, and then go to bed."

"But-"

"I'll see you in the morning, alright?"

"Okay," she mumbled, releasing him. "Goodbye, Fang."

"Goodbye and goodnight."

After Angel was gone, Fang went and sat down on the edge of the cliff, kicking his feet over the edge.

What was he going to do now? Huh? He didn't like to think that Max would really believe he'd cheat on her, but what else could the problem be?

…And more importantly, did that mean he wouldn't be scoring later that night?

* * *

**Thanks to anyone who reviewed about the Island Time stuff. Life savers, I swear.**


	6. Chapter 6

Spy Games

Chapter 6

"You're right, Max. This is boring when it's not your boyfriend."

I frowned at my sister, pressing closer to the dark side of the cave. Fang was out on the cliff in front of it where he had been the whole time, pacing around.

"He's waiting for you, Max," Nudge whispered. "How could he not be? He wanted to, you know, get it on."

"Shhh," I hissed. "He might hear us."

We were hiding in the shadows on Fang and my little cliff top. He was out in the clearing where there were blankets and a pillow along with lit candles scattered around. It was kind of creepy, really. Or romantic. Whichever. We had lucked out when we landed further back in the woods by Fang not seeing us. We had to hike some to get up here and when we arrived, we just found him pacing around, muttering to himself. I could hardly make out his words, but could tell whatever was bothering him involved me by the frequent mentions of my name.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Lazy, suddenly up and at 'em."

"And look, Blake, he set the mood."

Fang's head shot up as two women landed on the cliff. We weren't in a position to see who they were, but it wouldn't have mattered anyways. I wouldn't have recognized them. Hearing that name was enough.

"Blake," Fang said simply, staring at what I assumed was her, though I still wasn't able to see her, only him. "You came. Great."

"You did send for us," she pointed out.

"I did. I-"

"Nice shirt," the other one who I assumed was Jenna complimented him. He was wearing a weird shirt. It was a button up one that I knew he didn't possess before. "And pillows. And blankets. And candles. You've been busy, mister."

"I've been trading. Now I needed to ask you guys-"

"Get the condoms?" the voice I recognized as Blake asked.

"That's not-"

"What the hell, Fang?"

"Max," Ella hissed as I came out of the shadows effectively stopping whatever Fang was going to say. He frowned when he saw me, but then brightened.

"Oh, Max, good, you're here. I-"

"Yeah, I am here," I said, looking at him even though I really wanted to get a good look at the redhead and her friend. "And what the heck do you think you're doing?"

"Uh, see, that's the thing." Fang scratched the back of his neck. "I-"

"How could you, Fang?" Nudge suddenly came up behind me, apparently for supportive reasons. "Do you know how much work it took before to get Max to trust you? To love you? To date you? And now you've done this. This…this…cheating-"

"Whoa, wait. I am not-"

"Then what the heck is this, Fang? Huh? Huh?" I guess Ella's on my side too. I frowned as she came up on my other side, her finger pointed at Fang before jerking at his friends. "Do you-"

"Stop it." I shoved her slightly, frowning. "I didn't try to fight your battle."

"Yeah, because Iggy was innocent."

"Wait, you think that we're-"

"You shut up, Jenna," Nudge said, frowning at her. "I thought we were friends."

"What gave you that idea?"

"Well, I didn't think we were enemies. I mean, what else is there?"

The other girl, the redhead, frowned at Fang. "What did you want, Fang, anyways? Why did you have that kid come get us? For this? So I could hear you get belittle by your girlfriend? I mean, God, I thought-"

"I'd watch who you're talking about," Ella said, frowning at her. "Max is your leader."

This seemed to dawn on the other two girls for the first time for some reason. I mean, I'm sure they knew who I was, but just got caught up in the moment or something.

"I know that," the redhead, Blake, said, frowning at my sister before looking at me. "And believe me, this whole candle thing is wigging me out too. I had nothing to do with this."

"Max-"

"No, Fang, you-"

"I am about _fucking done _getting cut off," Fang finally growled, frowning at all of us. "This was for you, you big idiot. I trade all sorts of good stuff so that we could have this night. I got candles, I got a pillow, I got blankets. And now you've ruined it."

"Me? You know as well as I do that you didn't do this for me," I said, frowning at him. "I heard you. You were talking to this girls. You said something about sending for them? Right? Why didn't you send for me?"

"Because, Max, Angel- Wait." He frowned, crossing his own arms now. "What were you guys doing back there anyways? Eavesdropping?"

"Spying."

"Nudge!"

"What? It's no secret," she said, frowning at Ella before looking at Blake, Jenna, and Fang. "By the way, I'm in the business of recon. If you have anyone you need to, you know, gather information on, just hit me up. I'm normally over by the huts-"

"Nudge, shut up." I finally shoved her too. God, how did I get stuck with these two? "And yes, Fang, I was spying on you. And with good reason. You're, like, about to hook up with these two chicks in front of our cave. Ours, Fang! On our cliff. How could you do this two me?"

"Ew." Jenna frowned. "I mean, no offense, Max, I know you're our leader and everything, but just girl to girl, there is no way we'd both want to sleep with your boyfriend at the, like, same time. A guy would have to be insanely hot to pull that off. Like Richard."

"Ooh, Richard is hot," Nudge said, smiling at her.

"I know. He asked me if I would hangout with him tomorrow after sundown." Jenna shivered slightly. "He told me I can even call him Dick."

"'Ew. Why?"

"Because, Nudge, that's his nickname."

"Dick?"

"Yes."

"I don't get it-"

"I was serious about shutting up," I said, frowning at her. "Dick is short for Richard."

"In what world?"

"This one!"

Nudge huffed. "I'd cheat on her too, Fang. Rude much?"

"I'm not cheating on you, Max." Fang's voice was softer now as he just stared at me. "How could you think that?"

"What am I supposed to think, Fang? You're hanging out with two girls up here all alone-"

"I have friends."

"Okay, but-"

"And if you wanted to hangout with us too, that'd be fine."

"Well-"

Blake elbowed the other girl. "Leader, Jenna."

"Oh yes, Max, you should totally hangout with us." She nodded enthusiastically. "We can talk about…uh…"

"Dick."

"Nudge." I shoved her again.

"I was talking about the guy," she defended, rubbing her arm.

"Max, look at me." Fang stepped forward now so he was right in front of me. "This? This was all for you, silly. I thought that you were mad at me so we were going to make up. I traded for all this for us."

"Then why-"

"Let me finish." He moved to cup my cheek now, but I turned my head. "Angel came up here and told me that she tattled on me or something to you. So I sent some kid to find Blake and Jenna and send up here to explain to them what had happened and maybe so they could, you know, talk to Angel and assure her that nothing was going on."

"Yeah, because just, ew."

"Thanks, Jenna," Fang said without glancing at her. "So calm down some, huh? How could you think I was cheating on you? And spying on me? Really, Max?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Telling me would be nice. Talking things out."

"You hate talking."

"I hate you thinking I was cheating on you even more. I hate the thought of you breaking up with me even more than that." He finally got me to let him hold my face in his hands. "When are you going to get it through your thick skull, Max, that you don't have to do it all on your own anymore? I'm here for you. I have you, I've had you, and I'm keeping for you. Forever."

"Aw." Nudge elbowed me. "Another happy couple, eh?"

"Shut up, Nudge," Blake said for me this time, frowning. "So that what it then? Because we were eating dinner, Fang. You said it was important. Are we done here?"

"Yeah," he told them, still staring at me. "More than done. Thanks a lot."

"We still need to talk to that little girl for you?"

"No, I think Max and I can handle it," Fang said. The second Blake and Jenna had flown off, he said, "Nudge, Ella, handle it."

"Us?"

"You," he said. "If it wasn't for you knuckleheads, Max wouldn't have been spying on me 'cause she wouldn't have believed I was cheating on her."

"I believe that was Angel's-"

"So go. You owe me."

"Fang, we were being good friends," Nudge told him.

"If you're not gone in ten seconds, I'll make you good as dead."

"Fine." Nudge opened her wings. "But I-"

"Nudge, we have to walk," Ella whined. "I don't have wings."

"Then you walk back down on your own."

"It's night!"

"So?"

"The woods are scary. You have to go with me."

"I do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do-"

"Get out of here," Fang told them both. "I mean it."

Nudge huffed before brightening slightly. "Bye, Max. And just remember, Fang never answered the condom question. Safe sex is the best sex. Or something like that. Ella, come up with a rhyme."

"I am good at rhyming. Did I ever tell you about my p-"

"Go," I told them finally, frowning. "And no spying."

"Trust me, Max, the last thing we want to see is the things the two of you will be doing."

Once they disappeared into the forest behind the cave, Fang released my head, sighing slightly.

"Anymore questions?"

I nodded. "What's with the candles?"

He smiled crookedly at me. "Iggy and I thought that maybe, last night, you were mad 'cause you were, you know, horny."

I blinked. Then I blinked again. "Oh."

"But now I know it's just 'cause you thought I was cheating on you."

"Oh."

"I'd hate to let all my hard work go to waste though."

"Shut up, Fang."

We both just stared at each other for a moment. Then, slowly, Fang started to unbutton his shirt.

"I don't know how people wear this kind of shirt. It's uncomfortable," Fang told me.

"Then why'd you trade for it?"

"I was trying to be romantic, Max."

"It's your color though. Black."

"Lucked out, I guess."

"Would you have worn another color?"

"For you? My girl? 'course I would have."

I blushed slightly as I looked around at the candles. "I'm sorry, Fang, for thinking-"

"Let's not talk about it anymore."

"It was wrong of me to-"

"You thought something. You were wrong. It's over."

"It was just…when I found out she was a redhead or whatever…I just thought…'cause you like that so much better than…"

"Than…?"

"Than, I don't know, every other hair color I've ever had."

And just like that, I was lifted in the air by my boyfriend. Fang's shirt was still on, though unbuttoned, and I could feel his chest under me. He was all sweaty.

"Fang-"

"Oh, Max, I- Arg!"

"Hey!"

He dropped me suddenly, moving to hunch over, clutching his back. "God. It hurts so bad. I'm sorry, baby. I forgot."

I just dusted myself off before moving to help him lay down…away from those pillows and blankets.

"Raven?"

Fang just curled up on the ground as I moved to try and massage his back after slipping his shirt off. "What?"

"Just FYI, we won't be using that pillow or blankets."

"Why not?'

"It was a nice gesture, Falcon, but those could be dirty. You should have washed them first."

"I didn't think of that. Sorry."

"Shhh." I kept stroking his back. "Roll onto your stomach, Falcon."

"Mmmm." He did as asked, moaning slightly as he did so. "I hurt, Max."

"I know."

"I'm sorry for making you think I was cheating on you."

"You do like those girls."

"What? N-"

"Fang."

"They're hot or whatever. There's not a lot to do on this island, you know."

"I know."

"I'd never mess around on you though, babe. I'm your shadow. I'm nothing without you."

"And the sun."

"Or candles."

"Those too."

I kissed one of his wings, causing him to flutter them. "I guess I went a little overboard."

"Just a tad."

"You did too though, thinking I wanted to…do that."

"Yeah, well, I was a little drunk at the time."

"I told you and Iggy to pour that alcohol out."

"We are, slowly, but surely."

"Yeah, right into your mouths." I kept massaging his back, sighing slightly. "Ella and Nudge told me that because we're not doing…that, you were getting it from somewhere else."

"Yeah, baby. My hand and imagination."

"Fang…"

"Oh, Max," he sighed, shaking his head. "I hated you not sleeping up here with me last night. You know that? I thought you were upset or something."

"I was. Just over something dumb."

"What started this stupid spying stuff anyways?" He rolled onto his back finally, stretching his wings out. I just moved to lay down next to him, having to lay on the wing to do so. Fang just laid there, staring up at the sky.

"Ella thought Iggy was cheating on her."

"Oh."

"Let's not talk about it anymore." I smiled up at him, snuggling against his side. "Hawk."

"Mmmm."

"They thought it was weird that I call you things like that."

"Huh?"

"I told Nudge and Ella that I call you Raven and Hawk and Falcon."

"Oh."

"They thought it was weird."

"They're stupid."

"Yeah."

"They're jealous too. Of what a great relationship we've got."

"Is it great?"

"It's great, babe." Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. "On another note though, Max, what do you think of my hair?"

"Your hair?"

"Yeah."

"Are you mocking me? 'cause I thought you liked that girl because-"

"No, silly." He kissed the top of my head. "I love you. I love whatever you love with your hair. And besides, Max, you'd look horrible as a redhead."

"So I'd look horrible as the one thing you love the most."

"Yes, Max, you'd look horrible as ice cream."

"Shut up. You do not love ice cream more than anything. I meant red hair."

"I kiss one chick with red hair and you never let it go. I swear." He looked down at me. "Have you ever considered the fact that I just liked Lissa? Ever? Not for any specific reason? Not one more than any other one? Just like how I'd like any girl? I was fourteen. A boy."

"A boy."

"Now I'm a man."

"A man."

"Exactly."

Closing my eyes, I said, "So, we were talking about you."

"Right. What do you think of my hair?"

"What do you mean?"

"You like it?"

"As much as usual. Did you do something to it?"

"No. Iggy just thought that maybe-"

"Iggy says this, Iggy says that. Iggy can shut the heck up."

"So can Nudge and Ella."

"That's exactly what I've been saying." I shook my head. "The whole hike up here, she kept talking and talking about some guy she's meeting in the morning-"

"Guy?"

"Yeah. Peter or something. They're going to eat breakfast together or-"

"What? Where?"

"I don't know. I-"

"Max, how could you just lay here while Nudge is off planning some date with a guy we don't even know?" Fang frowned at me, I'm sure but I had my eyes closed and didn't plan on opening them again anytime soon.

"It's an island, Fang. One that I control. Trust me, there's nothing to worry about."

"When you thought I was hooking up, it was something to worry about."

"Nudge is too young for that kind of thing."

"I don't think so."

"So what's your solution then?" I did unclose my eyes now just to look at him. "What are you going to do? Tell her no? You can't stop her, you know."

"I know," Fang said, leaning down to kiss me again. "Go to sleep, Max. I'll take care of it in the morning all on my own. I love you."

"Love you too," I mumbled, frowning.

What did he mean he was going to take care of it on his own?

"…Hey, Max?"

It was about ten minutes later and I was practically asleep. "Hmmm?"

"Which one of us is going to blow out all the candles."

I patted his chest. "I'll give you one guess."

"I'd rather not…"


	7. Chapter 7

Spy Games

Chapter 7

"Falcon?" I opened my eyes slightly as Fang moved out from under me. "What are you doing?"

"Just gotta take care of something, Max."

"The sun's not up yet."

"It will be soon," he assured me. "You just stay here, huh?"

"Fang-"

"I'll be back soon." He laid one of his shirts over me as a makeshift blanket since I'd expressed my hate of the filthy one's he'd traded for. "Promise."

"I wanna go with you."

"Max-"

"What are you doing?"

"Just going to find Nudge and make sure this stupid date thing isn't going to happen."

"You can't do that."

"I can do that."

"But-"

"I am, Max."

"Then I want to go."

"No."

"I'm going."

"You're sleepy."

"And you're injured." I sat up to stare into his eyes. "I'm going, Owl."

"Owl?"

"Owl's are birds too."

"Yeah, unmanly ones." Fang puffed out his chest. "I'm a freaking eagle. A hawk. A falcon. The falcon. I'm Falcon."

"You're a raven."

"Meh."

"You are though." I smiled at him. "Even though ravens are kind of girly."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Well, I don't think so," Fang said.

"Whatever, Crow."

"I'm not one of those either."

"Pigeon."

"Max-"

"You wanna be my dove, Fang?"

"No." He kissed my head gently. "You're my dove. Now come on, if you're going with me."

"Fang, can you even walk?"

"Yes. And by the way, I'm going back to work today."

"What? N-"

"I have to pull my own weight, Max."

"I know that, but you can just do lab work."

"Your mother said she hates my handwriting."

"Then you can…cook. Boil water. Something."

"I'm going back to building huts."

"You're not going to get any better, Fang, if you keep stressing your back."

"Maybe I don't want to get better."

"Maybe you don't."

"Just come on. We'll argue later."

"What are we doing?" I asked, standing up as he did the same. "Falcon?"

"We're going to spy on Nudge."

"Fang-"

"It's payback. Plain and simple."

"What will spying on her do?"

"Well, if that guy, this Peter fool tries to get handsy or something I'll be right there to pound his face in."

"Why are you s concerned with Nudge dating?"

"Because, Max, I know what goes on around here on your little island and I am less than pleased that Nudge wants to be apart of it."

"…You lost me."

"This island is like a sex pool."

Blinking, I said, "I think you mean a cesspool."

"No, Max, I don't."

Sighing, I looked off. "Then…you are up for skipping out on the sex pool?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you weren't with me, you could be a part of it or whatever."

"Max-"

"You could, Fang. I think a lot of girls would sleep with you. Quite frequently. And I-"

"Stop doing this to yourself." Fang cupped my cheek. "Look at me, silly. Have you ever seen me even look at another woman?"

"Well-"

"I mean seriously. Not just in a 'Oh, she's hot' kind of way. You're the only girl I've ever been completely serious about. Ever. I love the hell out of you. Think, Max, of all the times I've left, been away. Or when you've been off the island. The only person I'm ever concerned about is you. You're my world. Forever and always."

"Still. I mean, you love me and everything, but…sex…"

"What happened to you and your self-esteem? Or was it never there to begin with?" He kissed my head now, lingering. "What do I need to do, Max? Carve your name into my flesh? Burn Maximum Ride into my skin?"

"Yes. To both."

"Max."

"I just know that you want to have sex and I just…don't. Now. Currently."

"And that's fine with me. Whatever. Do I want to sleep with you? God, yes, more than I want to breathe. But if you don't want to, then that's just it." He leaned his forehead against mine. "I don't want to just have sex, babe. I want to have sex with you. It'd be nice, I'm sure, having sex with all these other chicks on the island, but it'd be just that. Sex. I want you, Max. I've always wanted you. All of you."

Blushing, I looked off to the left, staring down at the ground. Fang kissed my head one last time before taking a step back.

"Now come on," he said, opening his wings. "As much as you might love it, we can't focus on you all day."

"Oh is that what'd I'd like?"

"Yes. And I'd like it too. Focusing all on you. However, we have a duty to Nudge."

"And what kind of duty would that be?"

"We're supposed to watch out for her. Like good guardians."

"Is that what we are to her? Guardians?"

"Good ones. Protective ones."

"Nudge won't like this."

"You don't always like what's good for you. Sometimes you even hate it. But if it's good for you, it's good for you. The end. There's no counter argument."

"I have never known you to be so protective over Nudge. Angel and Gasman, sure, but Nudge?"

"She's ours, ain't she?"

"Our what?"

"Our something and that's all that matters."

* * *

"-love him more than life. Like literally. Life without him isn't life at all."

Ella glanced at me. "Uh…what do you consider your life before him?"

"Meaningless," Nudge said without even taking a breath. Then, after she had pulled on a shirt she deemed appropriate for her breakfast date, she turned to face Ella and I. "Okay, Max, so what did you want? Make it quick."

"Yeah, Max, she has a date with Mr. Right."

I sighed, staring at her for a moment. Fang, in a last ditch effort to avoid having to spy on the girl, had sent me into the girls hut to speak with Nudge about her date. Well, mostly about abstinence and what she's done so far and with whom. I knew though if she had done anything with a guy, there was no way I would ever tell Fang his name. I like the people on my island alive, thank you very much.

"Right," I said slowly as Angel, who was mostly asleep, cuddled against me.

When I got to the girls hut, I wasn't surprised to find my sister there. She spent most of her time there with Nudge. It was a good excuse too when she and Iggy wanted to spend the night alone together. Just tell Mom she was with Angel and Nudge so she wouldn't be sleeping in with her that night and then she was free to sneak off. I would have to be very vigilant, I was sure, of Angel when she got older. Nudge was Fang's deal. Angel was all mine.

"I don't wanna get up," Angel whined, snuggling into me. "Be quiet."

"Shut up, Angel," Nudge said, frowning at her. "I told you to sleep in the boys hut, that I would be getting ready for my date this morning. It's your own fault. Not mine."

"Max, she's being mean," Angel complained.

"Shhh." I stroked her blonde head before looking back at Nudge. "Actually, Nudge, I wanted to talk to you some about this Paul fellow."

"Paul?"

"You know, Mr. Right."

"You mean Peter."

"Whatever," I said, frowning. "Look, let's just be blunt about this."

"Max, I didn't know you smoked."

I stared at Nudge for a moment before glancing at my sister. "What?"

"Not smoke a blunt, stupid. She wants to be completely honest with you," Ella said, frowning at her.

"What is a-"

"Would you all stop talking?" Angel whined, cutting me off. "Please?"

"Angel, go sleep with the boys," I said, patting her on the head now. "Or go find Fang and sleep with him."

"Mom's up, Angel," Ella told her. "If you want to go in there."

"I shouldn't have to go anywhere," she said, sitting up now and frowning at us. "this is my hut too."

"I know, sweetie," I told her. "But-"

"I'm going to tell Fang on all of you and he's going to yell at you. You shouldn't be able to just kick me out. This isn't fair. I'm just as important as you."

With that, she jumped up and left the hut. For a moment, the three of us were silent. Then I remembered the reason I was involved with any it to begin with.

"Nudge," I said, staring openly at her now. "I just wanted to, you know, make sure you know that just because everyone else is doing something, you shouldn't do it."

"I was joking about the blunt thing, Max. Kind of."

"No, that's not what I meant," I said, shaking my head slightly. "I mean, it is what I meant. Just not what I was referring too. You don't need to be doing that either. At all. However, I was talking about you and…Peter."

She and Ella just stared at me for a moment.

"Max," my half-sister said softly. "Do you want to talk about Fang? Is that what this is about?"

"What? No."

"Did you?" Nudge asked now.

"Did I what?"

"Last night. Is that why you're here?" She shook her head at me. "You could have just come here and told us that you wanted to talk. You didn't have to use the sham of wanting to talk about Peter."

"Fang and I didn't do anything," I told them, frowning. God, wouldn't that have been the first thing I said? I mean, really.

"Is that what you want to talk about then?" Ella asked. "Did he dump you?"

"I told you, Max," Nudge was saying now, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to style it somehow. "If you're not home, he's going to buy the foam."

"What?"

"I said that!" Ella frowned at Nudge. "Well, not that. What I said actually made sense. You thief."

"Hey, watch who you're calling a thief. I am not a thief. Sometimes I don't remember things correctly. Sue me," Nudge said with a shrug.

"You idiots are missing the point here."

"Stop calling us idiots," my half-sister told me, frowning. "We're trying to help you."

"I don't need help. I didn't come here for help. I came here to help Nudge."

"Help me what?" She frowned at me now. "How is calling me an idiot helping anything?"

"It's not. It's just helps my aggression towards you at times."

"You're so rude," Nudge said with a shake of her head. "Besides, Max, I don't have time to listen to you right now. I'm going on my date soon. So if you would kindly just-"

"That's what I'm here for, Nudge. To tell you that this date isn't a good idea."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"…Goodbye. I have breakfast to get to."

"Nudge-"

"Why do you suddenly care anyways, Max?" She stared hard at me. "Huh?"

"Well…Fang and I bouth got to talking and we don't think that you're mature enough to date."

"What?"

"We just-"

"Max, you and Dylan took me on that double date that time in-"

"I wouldn't call it a double date, really, just a-"

"Then what? Huh? What's changed?"

Fang. Fang didn't like this. I controlled most things around here, but I knew that Fang's say in Flock life was pretty important. It's like how they say the president's wife controls more than he did. Only I wouldn't tell Fang that, 'cause then he'd think I was referring to him as the woman in the relationship and I wasn't going to have that conversation any time soon.

"I just don't see this as a good idea for you," I told her. "Going alone out with this guy."

"We're on an island, Max."

"Yes, I know."

"What exactly do you think we're doing?"

I just looked at her. "I think you know."

"No."

"I think you do, Nudge."

"Not really."

"Nudge-"

"Stop it! God, it's just like we repeat the same things over and over again." Ella shook her head at the two of us. "If it was okay before, Max, when you and Dylan went out with Nudge and guy, why don't you and Fang go eat breakfast with Nudge and Peter? Get to know Mr. Right?"

"That sounds grand," I said, nodding. "I could eat."

"No," Nudge told me flatly, the joy out of her voice now. "I'm going to eat breakfast with him and you can't stop me."

"Nudge-"

"I don't control you and Fang's dating life," she said.

"Well, considering it's nonexistent, I don't think it'd be hard to start," Ella muttered.

After casting her a look, I turned back to Nudge. "I'm just trying to protect you."

"Protect me? I can protect myself." She headed out of the hut now. "So just leave me alone, Max. I can go on a date if I want to. You are not my mother. You're nothing to me."

"She's your leader," Ella reminded.

"You're nothing, but a leader to me," she corrected. "So go away."

"Well," Ella said after she was gone. "She sure told you."

"Shut up before I go and tell Mom where you really were two nights ago."

"Why Max, whatever do you mean?"

I just gave her a look. "I think you know."

"No."

"I think you do."

"I-"

"Forget this. I have to go," I said, getting back up and leaving the hut. "If anyone needs me this morning, tell them I'm busy and will get back to them in the afternoon, would ya?"

"What do I look like? Your secretary?"

"Don't test me today."

"Considering what you didn't get last night, I'll follow that order."

* * *

**The mp3 player I've had since, like, I was in junior high died. Along with my hope in the world. What kind of world is this if a simple mp3 player can only live five years? And yes, that is my excuse for not posting this sooner. Sue me.**


	8. Chapter 8

Spy Games

Chapter 8

"Why does she like him anyways? I mean, god, this guy isn't even that good looking."

I just made a soft noise, not moving from my spot with my head in Fang's lap. I said I'd go on the spying mission; I didn't say I'd stay awake for it.

"I mean, look at him. He's not hideous or anything, but he's, you know, normal. Just usual. So why is she so caught up on him? Why did she flip out on you for him? Makes no sense. No-"

"Fang," I mumbled then, not opening my eyes. "When you spy, you're supposed to be quiet."

"I mean, just honestly look at him, Max."

I really wished I'd stayed up on the cliff and just slept. Seriously. All Nudge and this guy had done was eat. I hadn't even eaten yet! Fang should have taken someone that actually cared with him, because I sure didn't. Nudge was extremely rude to me in the hut earlier. Let her get knocked up. Let her. See if I care. 'cause I don't.

"What did Angel tell you?" I mumbled then. "She ran off to find you when we kicked her out."

"Oh yeah." He frowned down at me. 'You guys need to leave her alone."

"Okay, Daddy Fang."

"Shut up."

"You baby her."

"And you do?"

"Perhaps," I whispered. 'We need to knock it off though. She's not a baby anymore."

"She's still a child."

"Then start treating her as one."

"You're one to talk."

"I-"

"Shhh. They might hear us."

We both fell silent again, Fang going back to stroking my head.

"Fang, this is boring."

"Sleep, Max. Just sleep." He leaned down then, barely hovering above my ear as he whispered, "My little dove."

Shivering, I smiled as I drifted off. Nudge could look out for herself. After all, she'd been trained by the best.

* * *

Slipping Max head from his lap gently, Fang slowly stood, careful to remain hidden. With Max, he'd had to hide further away, in the underbrush and such. Alone though, he could put his power of invisibility to good use and really hear what was going on. Giving his sleeping girlfriend one last look, Fang closed his eyes tightly, concentrating hard. Not too long ago, while playing hide-and-seek with Angel, Fang had discovered that he could control his invisibility. He'd fine tuned it, nearly to protection now.

The tricky part, honestly, was being careful not to crunch too many leaves beneath his feet as he snuck up on the couple. They had their backs to him, the guy roasting fish over the fire they had going, Nudge happily munching away on fruit. It sickened Fang. It truly did.

"-tell me who and who I can't date. You know?"

"Not really," the boy responded to whatever Nudge had said. "I don't have anyone like Max in my life. You know, someone older than me or whatever. It's just me."

"You're so lucky."

"That I don't have a family?"

"Yes."

"Nudge-"

"I'm serious. They're, like, unbearable."

"I dunno. I've seen you guys all together. You guys seem happy most of the time. Joking around with each other and stuff. Especially the blind one.'

"Iggy."

"Yeah. He's real nice and funny. And that younger one? I play soccer with him sometimes."

"They're alright, Gazzy and Iggy, yeah, but I was talking more about Max."

"I can't say anything bad about her," the guy told Nudge as Fang settled down closer to them, blending perfectly in with his surroundings. "She's my leader."

"She's mean."

"You just think that because you guys are so close." He pulled the skewered fish away from the fire. "Here you go."

She just smiled at him. "So you've never, like, had anyone? At all?"

"I did," he said simply, planning on leaving it at that.

"What happened to them?"

Fang really wanted to stop Nudge. He really did. He didn't like this guy, certainly not, but Nudge was being nosey. The Flock hadn't had an easy life, no way, but Fang knew that there were kids on the island with much worse stories. Because no matter what had happened, the Flock had always had each other. Not everyone could be so lucky.

"Not them. Just my little sister." The boy turned his head and spit on the ground, clearly uncomfortable. "She, uh, died before I got to this island. Before that lady, Dr. Martinez, freed me. She wasn't really my sister or anything. Just my friend, I guess. She was only, uh, seven, so whatever. She didn't have wings anyways. I don't think she'd have been allowed here. So it's for the best, I guess."

"I'm sorry," Nudge said then. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine. Let's talk about something else." He ripped some fish off with his teeth,

Fang's stomach rumbling softly, reminding him that in his rush, he'd opted out of breakfast. A year or so ago, before island life had begun, skipping a meal would be nothing to him. Now though, it was rare that he didn't squeeze in four meals a day, if not five. He hadn't eaten dinner the previous night as Max had ruined his date idea, so he was running a completely empty stomach.

"Fang hates you."

"Fang?"

"Max's boyfriend."

"Max has a boyfriend?"

Nudge frowned at him. "That guy with the long black hair that's always skulking around her?"

"…I don't think I've ever noticed him before."

"Believe me, he'd be honored."

"What do you mean?"

"He likes to think that he's super sneaky or something. Always lurking around, all brooding and stuff."

"I really don't know who he is. I feel bad. I'm sure I'd know him if I saw him."

"Believe me, you don't want to."

"I'll have to meet him eventually."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, when I meet your family."

Oh God. Fang wanted to vomit. Seriously. Meet her family? Blow his brains out. He would make sure he was off the island when that fiasco happened. You know, if he let this charade of dating last. Nudge dating. Bah. It was a sickening thought to begin with. Why did she even need to date? She didn't. She just needed to be reminded of that fact.

And who better than to remind her than Fang?

* * *

I woke up alone, on the ground, leaves and grass in my hair. I'll kill Fang one of these days. I swear.

Yawning, I sat up and looked around. The sun was high in the sky now, the morning having faded to afternoon without me for once. Standing slowly, I took a good look around before opening my wings. I quickly took to the air, heading back up to Fang and my cliff to change clothes and get all that dirt and stuff out of my hair before figuring I had better do a wellness check on the island in general. I started by going to check on hut building.

"Ay, boss."

"Hi, Trevor," I greeted, smiling at the guy in front of me.

He was probably the oldest kid on the island and nearly the strongest. Definitely the most muscular. He was rather on the tall side as well, skin dark as night. He was always extremely nice to me though and loyal all around. He was an easy pick when it came who the put in command of the building department.

"Have you seen my boyfriend?"

"Ay, he was here. He and Kris worked together for awhile till his back gave out. Sent him to the labs, to your mother. Thought it the best place for him."

"Thank you. And has anyone completely ignored their work this week?"

"A few. I'll have a list for you tomorrow, if you'd like."

"I would. Thank you."

He nodded at me before getting back to work, carrying stacks of wood around. Moving right along, I headed to the labs next, knowing I needed to check on the status there and also wanting to find my boyfriend. It wasn't hard, locating him. He was in my mother's lab, lying on his stomach shirtless atop a table.

"What are you guys doing? Are you okay, Fang?"

"Just checking his wings, Max," Mom told me, tapping his right wing. Fang lifted it on command, Mom watching the tendons in his back move, visible under his skin.

"Is everything alright?" I came closer, frowning.

"I'd really like to operate," Mom said, looking at me. "Fang however-"

"You aren't cutting into my flesh." Fang sat up then, frowning at her as he retracted his raven colored wings. "You had my whole life growing up, you and your Whitecoat friends. Playtime's over."

"Fang, knock it off," I said with an eye roll. "Oh, and injured or not, ditching your girlfriend is not cool."

"You were sleeping," Fang defended. Then, nodding at me, he said, "And babe? I am the essence of cool."

Groaning, Mom went over to a countertop, grabbing some pills. "Here, Fang. More painkillers it is, I guess. Until you're ready to brave surgery."

Fang took the pills willingly. I thought about pointing out to him that if Mom really did want to harm him, giving him pills would be the way to go. Maybe some to knock him out. Poison him. I feared though that mentioning that would cause him to refuse them and suffer through unbearable pain. I knew if it came down to it, eventually I'd have to be the one to convince him to go through with surgery. He never listened to anyone else. If he wasn't able to work or get around, then Fang wasn't able to leave the island either. And what was the point then, of Fang? Other than, like, sitting there looking hot for me.

…Sometimes I think I spend too much time wit my sister.

"I gotta put two hours in around here," Fang said told Mom then who just frowned.

"No, you don't."

"I only worked for about an hour down at the huts. I gotta do something."

"You are not fill out anymore paperwork around here."

"Maybe there's something else Fang could do here, Mom," I tried.

"And what would that be, Max?"

"Maybe you could have him help you with your experiments. Like full on help."

"I am not a teacher, Max."

"Please, Mom?" I took a step closer to her, lowering my voice. "He feels all emasculated and stuff now that he can't work. Can't you make up a job for him?"

"I can hear you," Fang complained, jumping off the table. "And if you don't want my help, Dr. Martinez, fine. I'm sure one of the scientists does. Or I'll just go build more huts. Something."

"You do not need to strain your back anymore," Mom told him, but he just shook his head.

"I have to do something. I have to work."

"There's no monetary value in his work," Mom told me after Fang headed off. I made sure he was going deeper into the cave though, knowing that meant he was going to find a scientist to give him an assignment instead of going to do manual labor. "He's gaining nothing from it, but pride."

"He just feels worthless sometimes."

"He suffers from depression."

"What?"

Mom shrugged at me as she continued to do something over at her counter. "It's just what I've observed over this year. There's no true sign of when someone's depressed, but I've always thought Fang was. He has an emotional imbalance, I'm sure, given his parents."

I just stared at her for a moment. "Who were his parents?"

Glancing at me over her shoulder, Mom said, "No one you would know."

"Mom-"

"Max, it's not important. His mother just…was rather ill."

"Ill?"

"Mentally."

"What?"

"Fang wasn't supposed to, you know, actually be a part of the Flock. The Flock wasn't even a thing when they first grafted wings on him. They just needed someone to test things on before they gave them to you. He was a test dummy that overstayed his welcome."

"You don't have to be so brash about it."

Mom let out a long breath. "It's not good to gossip anyways. Though I did plan to tell you eventually. I mean, if you ever had children with him, I would want you to know before hand that he-"

"Mom."

"Oh, Max, like you haven't thought about it before. I know how you, Ella, and Nudge liked to chitchat."

"We don't talk about things like that."

"Not to mention you and Fang sleeping up on the cliff. I might not be young, Max, but I am far from naïve."

"Knock it off. Fang and I aren't dong anything up there."

"So you continue to say." Sighing, she turned to face me fully. "So what was it you needed, sweetheart? Other than to check up on Fang?"

"I just wanted to, you know, talk to you."

"About?"

"Um…If I was dating someone you didn't like, or Ella was, how would you get us to stop without causing us to hate you forever?"

"Max, honestly, I don't think I have any say in your relationships."

"Well, I'd like your blessing, but-"

"As for Ella, I would tell her flat out that she wasn't going to date that person anymore."

"But what about the hate thing?"

"Max, Ella is my daughter. I've raised her since birth. Sacrificed for her. There is no guy that could cause her to truly hate me. Not permanently at least." She stared hard at me. "Now what is this all about?"

"…I don't like the guy that Nudge is dating."

"What don't you like about him?"

That threw me for some reason.

"What do you mean?"

"What is it that you don't like about him?"

"Well…I haven't really met him yet, so I don't really know."

Sighing, she said, "Then why do you hate him?"

"Because Nudge was mean to me this morning when I tried to ask her about him."

"Max," Mom said, shaking her head. "I honestly have a lot to deal with. As do you. Two of the scouts came back today with papers from South America that you must sign."

"Mom-"

"Max, do you want to run this island or not?"

"Kind of."

"Max-"

"It's just a lot more work than you guys made it seem like."

"What did you think you would do, Max? Just hang around all day with your friends?"

I had a feeling she didn't want my honest answer.

"No," I grumbled.

"And as for Nudge's date, you have to let her make her own mistakes. I've let you make yours, have I not? And Ella?"

"I guess so."

"Besides, I know Nudge well enough now to know that it won't be long before this boyfriend is a distant memory."

Was she calling Nudge a slut or something?

"So run along now. Get to work. Your boyfriend, who's injured and can barely move, has done more than you today."

She knew that would get under my skin, the thought of Fang doing more than me. And it did as I exited the lab, headed now to find the scouts so I could collect what I needed from them. But still…work…ugh. Just the thought seemed so mind numbingly awful. I mean, honestly.


	9. Chapter 9

Spy Games

Chapter 9

"Wow, Gasman. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." I smiled at the boy. "What have you been up to?"

He just stared at me. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Honest." I slowly sat down in front of the boy. "Can't I just hang around with you, Gazzy?"

"I can't tell you no, can I? It is your island."

"It is," I agreed, sighing softly. "So anyway, what's been going on with you?"

He just bit into the piece of fruit he had in his hands. Speaking with his mouth full, he said, "Nothing."

"Nothing? Really? Nothing?"

He just shrugged.

"'cause I kind of heard that you guys were having a little soccer tournament today at-"

"We totally are!" He swallowed his food quickly before smiling at me. "I just didn't think that you would care."

"Of course I care, Gas-"

"Will you come? Will you come?" He bounced slightly. "Will you come watch me? 'cause that'd be totally awesome! My team is totally awesome! And with you there, then-"

"Slow down, take a breath." I stared hard at him. "Tell me a little bit about this team of yours."

"Oh. Well, there's me of course."

"Of course."

"And then there's my six friends. That's how many of us are on a team. I'm the striker, 'cause, like, duh."

"Duh." What the hell is a striker?

"Then Nicky's our goalie. He's really, really good. He's younger than me, but it's okay, 'cause he's really good."

"Of course."

"Then there's Christina. She-"

"You have a girl on your team?"

Snorting, he said, "Well, yeah, Max, but she's not really a girl."

"No?"

"No," he scoffed at me. "She's practically a guy. She does boy stuff. Kind of like you."

"Believe me, Gazzy, I'm all girl."

"Whatever. Then there's Jake who-"

"Hey, tell me a little bit about the other teams," I prompted then.

"Which team?"

"I dunno. Um…" I paused, as if in thought. "Hey, how about the one that Paul guy? Is his team any good?"

"Paul?"

"Yeah, you know, Paul."

"I don't know a-"

"Peter," I blurted out then. "I meant Peter. Sorry."

He was suspicious now, staring hard at me. Then, shaking his head, he said, "Peter's cool. He's real nice. Once, when Christina cut up her knee real bad and couldn't play, Peter played with us."

"So he's a good…soccer player?"

"Not the best," he said. "'cause, duh, that'd be me."

"Yeah, sure. Now about Peter-"

"Why do you care so much about Peter?" Gazzy frowned at me. "He's not _that _good. He's alright."

"Have you ever, you know, hung out with him? Heard anything about him?"

"What are you- Oh." He looked around, making sure we were alone. When he found we were, he leaned closer to me and whispered, "Is this secret spy business?"

"Excuse me?"

"You don't have to lie to me, Max. I know that you were only pretending not to know how to spy the other day, when you had me help you spy on Iggy. You're a master spy, huh?" He nodded his head. "I know you are. You have to be. That's how come you're the leader and everything. Right?"

"Uh…yeah, sure. Right." What the heck was I suppose to say? The kid thinks I'm some kind of master emissary or whatever. How cool is that?

"I won't tell nobody," he said. "Especially not Peter."

"Great," I said. "Now what info do you got?"

"Well, he's pretty nice all around," Gazzy said, going back to his food then. "He dates a lot of girls though."

"Really now."

"Mmmhmm. Was that the kind of information you wanted?"

"Uh, kind of, yes."

"Good." He smiled at me. "I'm glad I could help."

"You've been a big help."

He paused, looking off for a moment before staring at me once more. "Since I was such a big help and everything, Max, will you come to my soccer tournament? Please?"

Sighing, I nodded. "Yeah, Gasman, I guess I can-"

"That's great! I'm gonna tell everyone and we're gonna win and you're gonna be so happy and I might even let you gloat about it with me. 'cause, you know, I am gonna gloat about this."

"Oh, I know," I sighed. "Trust me, I know."

* * *

"Hey, little dove."

I smiled slightly as Fang's breath tickled my ear. "You might be the only person in the world that's able to sneak up on me."

He just wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him so that my back was against his chest. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

"Hanging clothes," he said, watching as I tossed one of his shirts over a branch. "Thanks for washing my clothes, babe."

It was more for my benefit than anything else. Iggy and Fang had taken to the idea that washing their clothes in the river and then hanging them up was too complex of a concept and decided to just not wash their clothes all together. There was no way I was going to let people call my boyfriend stinky. …Not to mention, the stench was starting to get to me as well.

"Mmmhmm."

He kissed the back of my neck. "Now that you're about done though, what do you say we-"

"Make no plans, Fang. We already have some."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And what exactly would those be?"

"We're going to watch the soccer tournament."

He paused. "Max-"

"We have to, Fang," I told him. "I promised Gazzy I would go watch his team."

"You promise that you would go. I made no promise."

"Do you want to keep having a girlfriend? Then you're going."

"Love how you just took my answer to that question as a yes."

"Was it a no?"

"Most certainly not."

"Okay then."

Fang just sighed. "Why exactly did you promise that?"

"Because, Fang, we never do anything for the Gasman and-"

"Really, what was your reason?"

I shrugged slightly as I turned to face him. "I needed info about Paul."

"Paul?"

"Peter. Whatever."

"What?"

"The guy that Nudge is dating. I wanted to get us some information. Now I have. It just came at a price."

"A price of having to sit through a soccer tournament," Fang said dryly, staring hard at me.

"Well, yeah, actually."

"Max-"

"Look, it's not like his team will actually be any good," I told Fang. "We'll take Angel with us, sit through a game, play like we really want him to win, and be an all around cute little family. It might even boost my popularity around here."

"Yeah, you do kind of had a bad public imagine around here," Fang agreed. Not catching my glare, he went on. "I mean, a lot of people around here think you're kind of a bitch."

"Fang!"

"I said some people. Not me." He smiled. "I just think you're a cute little dove."

I made a face as he pulled me in for a hug. "You're lucky that I love you."

"Very lucky."

* * *

"Gah! Why didn't anyone ever tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That soccer is so boring," I groaned. Fang frowned at me.

"Max-"

"It is though. God, why couldn't they play a more interesting sport?"

"Like what? What sport interests you, Max?"

What is up with Fang and putting me on the spot recently? God, that was annoying too.

"Ping pong."

We both stared at each other for a moment before he looked off, back at the makeshift soccer field, shaking his head slightly. I looked down there too, trying to figure out what the point of this whole thing was. Soccer was so boring. God.

"Look, Max, Gazzy got the b- Never mind. He lost it," Angel sighed. Leaning against me, she said, "Can I leave?"

"No," I told her, making a face. Not if I can't. "We're here to support your brother."

"I'm actually shocked, Max, that you're down here with us little folk. I mean, with how important you think you are, I figured you'd be sitting on a throne that you made us build for you just for this occasion."

I glared over at Iggy who was lying on his back, his head in Ella's lap. "Shut up, Iggy. God. Like you really even do any work."

"Let's just watch the game," Fang said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Angel, who was on my other side giggled, but I ignored her as I leaned into him slightly. "And hope to God that Gasman loses."

"How come Nudge doesn't have to be here for this?" Angel asked then, frowning. "It's not fair. And what about Total?"

"Total wasn't invited because he's annoying as crap," I told her. "Watching this game is bad enough. And besides, Nudge is here. She's sitting with her friends."

I pointed further down the grass where Nudge and a group of girls were. By some luck of the draw, her stupid boyfriend's team was the first one that Gazzy and his friends had to play.

"How come she gets to be with her friends?"

"Stop whining, Angel," Ella told her then. "It's not that bad. You should be happy that Gazzy wants us here to cheer him on."

"Us? Try me," I said, shooting her a look. "The rest of you are just here so I don't get bored. Not to mention, I don't trust any of you guys not to misbehave while I'm preoccupied with this stupid soccer thing."

"We don't misbehave, Max," Iggy told me. "You just don't understand our actions."

"Oh, bull."

"I get in trouble when I say bull like that," Angel mumbled. "Huh, Fang? Shouldn't Max not be allowed to say it then?"

"Yeah, Max," Fang said, nodding his head. "You're no longer allowed to say- Ow. Why did you pinch me?"

"To get you to shut up," I told him simply. "So do that. Shut up."

"See? She thinks she's better than all of us."

Ella thumped Iggy's head. "Knock it off."

"What? Tell me I'm wrong. Go ahead. Lie."

"What is up with you and hating Max today?" Fang asked him with a frown. "Knock it off."

"You'd be angry with her too if you knew what I knew."

"What do you know?" I asked him, frowning.

"I heard you and your mom this morning, Max. Gossiping about Fang."

I flushed. "You-"

"What did you say?" Fang was looking down at me, slightly amused. He probably thought I had been talking about how hot he was or something. He was pretty egotistical like that. "Max?"

"Noth-"

"She and Dr. Martinez were talking about your parents, Fang," Iggy told him, sitting up now slightly. "Like it was any of their business. About how your mom was, like, mentally ill or-"

"Stop, Iggy," I said, glaring at him now. Fang shifted away from me. "You don't know what you're-"

"I know exactly what I'm talking about. You think just because you know who both your parents are that it's okay to talk about the rest of ours. Well, guess what, Max? It's not. Our lives-"

"Shut up, Iggy." Fang looked at me then. "What did she tell you?"

"Fang, this really isn't the time or-"

"What did she tell you?"

"I-"

It was then that a loud yell cut me off. We all turned our attention back to the soccer field where I could see Gasman down on the ground, holding his knee. I jumped up, Fang quickly doing the same. Iggy was asking what was going on and Ella was trying to explain it to him.

"You little brat," one of the guys on the other team was yelling at him. Gasman moved to get up, but I could tell from the way his leg was that it was more than likely broke. "Get the hell up. How are you going to freaking shove into me and then act like you're hurt when I shove you back? You-"

"Knock it off, man." One of the other guys on his team came to grab the one yelling at the Gasman's arm. "Seriously-"

"Leave him alone!" The little girl on Gazzy's team ran up and kicked the guy in the shin. "You big jerk!"

"Hey!" I was on the field now, having picked my way through the small crowd of people watching. "You leave him alone."

The guy still just glared down at the Gasman. "That's why we don't need to play with fucking kids. I swear to-"

"Leave him alone." Another guy on his team got between the Gasman and him. It was off course Nudge's stupid boyfriend. Because my life sucks, that's why. "Serious, Jackson, knock it off."

"Come here, Gasman," I whispered, going over to him. "It's broken, isn't it?"

"No! I can play. I can keep playing."

"No, you can't, buddy." Fang was next to me then, standing over him. "I'd carry you, but my back-"

"I don't need you to." He tried to stand again, but couldn't. That girl on his team, Christina, quickly let him wrap her arm around her shoulder, supporting him on the side with his bad leg. "I need Iggy. Iggy can heal me."

"I want Mom to check it out," I told him.

"No! Iggy can heal me and then I can play."

"Even when Iggy heals something, it's not perfect, Gasman. You'll still need to stay off it. You can't play soc-"

"No! I can play soccer! I can play soccer!"

"Oh, Gazzy, I'm going to kill you," Fang groaned as he reached down, lifting the boy up. I knew Fang could carry Gasman, I mean, God he could carry me, but I really didn't want him to at the moment. "Let's go see Dr. Martinez, huh? And then, if she says so, you can come back. Alright?"

"No!"

Fang was walking off now, wincing as he did so. Finally one of the older guys in the crowd of people watching got up and took Gasman from him, the two guys heading off towards the scientists' caves, a whining Gazzy going along with them.

"Now what?" The goalie on Gasman's team frowned. "We gotta have another player."

"I'll play!"

For the first time I noticed that Angel was at my side. She was bouncing up and down, clearly excited.

"Angel," I began. "I don't-"

"Please, Max?"

Her brother had just broken his freaking leg. She didn't really think I'd let her-

"Yeah!" Christina smiled at Angel. "You can be on our team."

"Cool."

"I-"

"Alright, alright, let's start the game again," one of the older guys standing on the sidelines said. I think he was supposed to be the referee. When he saw me glare at him, he quickly said, "It's okay with you, Max."

I just turned back to the guy who had been yelling at Gasman. He'd calmed down some now, but still looked pretty pissed. He was about my age, but shorter than me. The shorter you are though, the more fiery the temper, right?

"If you ever yell at any of the younger kids like that again, I'll send you off on a freaking raft and let you pray for the best," I told him, glaring into his eyes. "And don't doubt I won't."

With that, I headed off to the caves to check on my little Gasman.


End file.
